[Romantic Anecdotes of the Qing Dynasty Court] [76] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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Chapter Seventy-Six: An Dehai's Greed Leads to Disaster, Prince Zheng's Lust Leads
to Suffering. It is said that Prince Gong received a secret memorial from Ding Baozhen, informing him that Chief Eunuch An had left the capital without permission and was causing great disturbance in Shandong. Upon reading the memorial, he felt both anger and joy. He was angry at An Dehai's audacity, and joyful at An Dehai's heinous crimes; now he could seize this opportunity to kill An Dehai and restore order to the court. When Prince Gong entered the palace, he had already drafted the edict to kill An Dehai, and presented it, along with Ding Baozhen's memorial, to Empress Dowager Ci'an for review.
Empress Dowager Ci'an was greatly alarmed upon reading it, saying, "This servant is so reckless! He no longer even cares about my family's ancestral precepts. I can no longer consider the Empress Dowager's feelings; the law of the state and the family law are paramount." She immediately stamped the edict, and Prince Gong took it and left. At this time, the Empress Dowager Ci'an was in Changchun Palace listening to a performance, having been summoned by the eunuch Li Lianying. Empress Dowager Cixi was quite knowledgeable about opera, and the performance featured a famous actor from the inner city, captivating her completely. Therefore, while Prince Gong was secretly plotting to kill An Dehai, Empress Dowager Cixi remained completely unaware. A few days after Ding Baozhen submitted his secret memorial, he received a secret imperial edict. The edict stated: "According to Ding Baozhen's memorial regarding the eunuch's ostentatious and inciting unrest, Zhao Xin, the prefect of Dezhou, reported that in July, a eunuch surnamed An arrived in two ostentatious boats, claiming to be acting on imperial orders and preparing dragon robes. The boats carried a sun-shaped three-legged bird flag, and dragon and phoenix flags beside them. He was accompanied by many men and women, and female musicians played bamboo and string instruments. Crowds thronged the banks. It was also claimed that the 21st of this month was the eunuch's birthday, and dragon robes were displayed in the center, with men and women bowing in reverence. The prefecture is currently searching for him, but the boats have already set sail south." The governor has already instructed all prefectures and counties in Dongchang and Jining to track down and apprehend the eunuch.
Upon reading the report, I am deeply alarmed! This eunuch has traveled far without authorization and has committed various illegal acts; if he is not severely punished, how can we uphold official discipline and deter others? I hereby order Ma Xintie, Zhang Zhiwan, Ding Richang, and Ding Baozhen to swiftly select capable officials to thoroughly investigate and arrest the sixth-rank, blue-feathered eunuch surnamed An in their respective jurisdictions. His entourage must provide evidence; if the evidence is conclusive, execute him on the spot without interrogation, and do not allow him to conceal his actions. If the eunuch returns to Zhili upon hearing the news, Zeng Guofan is to arrest and execute him along with the rest of the eunuch; any negligence will be the sole responsibility of the governor-general. Any of his entourage who resemble bandits must also be arrested and punished accordingly, without further request for imperial approval. This matter should be secretly communicated to all areas within a 600-mile radius.
This is my imperial decree. Ten days after An Dehai's execution, Empress Dowager Ci'an ordered Prince Gong to draft a second imperial edict, which read: "On the third day of this month, Ding Baozhen reported that, according to Zhao Xin, the prefect of Dezhou, a eunuch surnamed An, traveling on a large ship, falsely claimed to be an imperial envoy, and had acquired dragon robes; dragon and phoenix flags were displayed on the side of the ship, and he was accompanied by many men and women, swaggering and inciting the people along the way, causing fear and panic. An edict was issued ordering the governors and viceroys of Zhili, Shandong, and Jiangsu to send officials to investigate and arrest him, and to execute him immediately. Now, according to Ding Baozhen's report, the criminal An Dehai has been arrested in Tai'an County and executed according to the edict; his entourage has been ordered to be severely punished by Ding Baozhen today. Our dynasty has inherited its family laws, strictly regulating eunuchs, punishing all offenders, and maintaining strict discipline; whenever anyone is found causing trouble outside, they are always punished. Yet this eunuch An Dehai dared to be so audacious and reckless, committing various illegal acts, and truly deserved his punishment."
After this severe punishment, all eunuchs should be even more vigilant. The Grand Minister of the Imperial Household Department is instructed to strictly discipline the chief eunuchs under his jurisdiction, ensuring they are diligent and cautious in their duties. Anyone found disobeying their post and causing trouble outside will be punished, along with the supervising eunuch. A further edict is issued to the governors and viceroys of all provinces, instructing them to immediately arrest and punish any eunuchs who impersonate officials, regardless of whether they have broken the law, without any leniency. Upon seeing these two edicts, the Empress Dowager Cixi learned that An Dehai had been executed. Overwhelmed with grief, anger, and shame, she disregarded her dignity as Empress Dowager and stormed towards the Eastern Palace. Empress Dowager Ci'an, who was taking a nap in the palace, heard of the Empress Dowager's arrival and, unaware of the situation, hurriedly rose to greet her. When Empress Dowager Cixi entered, she was followed by many palace maids and eunuchs, her presence imposing. When Empress Dowager Cixi entered Empress Dowager Ci'an's bedroom, she didn't even bow to her. Instead, she angrily sat down in a chair, her face ashen with rage, but she remained silent. Empress Dowager Ci'an, however, approached her with a smile and asked, "Why are you so angry?" Upon being asked, Empress Dowager Cixi burst into tears, banging her head and stamping her feet. Many palace maids tried to pull her away, but to no avail. Empress Dowager Ci'an was stunned and speechless. When Empress Dowager Cixi was overcome with grief, she rushed to Ci'an's side, knelt down, and buried her face in Ci'an's arms, rubbing her and crying out, "Your Majesty was born the Empress, and I was born a maid; now that I have broken the law, I beg Your Majesty to grant me death!" This left Empress Dowager Ci'an completely bewildered; she could only suppress her anger and try to persuade her to get up with kind words. Empress Dowager Cixi stopped crying and then sternly questioned Empress Dowager Ci'an, saying, "Why wasn't the matter of killing An Dehai discussed with me? When the late Emperor was alive, before I was made Empress, he often summoned me to discuss state affairs; now that I'm Empress Dowager, why wasn't this matter of killing An Dehai discussed with me, but with the Sixth Prince? This not only shows that the Sixth Prince doesn't respect me as Empress Dowager, but it's also clear that the Empress Dowager looks down on me. Now I ask for nothing else, only that the Empress Dowager grant me death, so that I won't lose face before the Emperor. To be honest, I was the one who sent An Dehai to Shandong; now that I've killed him, it's like stripping my face bare. How can I face anyone in the palace?" Saying this, she burst into tears again. Empress Dowager Ci'an, a gentle and virtuous woman, had never seen anything like this before. She was so angry that her hands and feet trembled, and she couldn't utter a word. After struggling for a long time, she finally managed to say, "From now on, I will no longer concern myself with state affairs. I will leave everything to the Empress Dowager.
The Emperor is the Empress Dowager's Emperor; I only wish to live out my days in the palace, enjoying a peaceful life, and that will be enough for me." As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.
Just as the two empresses were arguing fiercely, news came that the Emperor had arrived. At this time, the Tongzhi Emperor was twelve years old, tall and handsome, dressed in light clothing and a small hat. He entered the room, bowed to the two empresses, and asked the Empress Dowager why she was angry.
The Empress Dowager then told her about the killing of An Dehai. It turned out that the Tongzhi Emperor was young and had never concerned himself with state affairs, spending his days playing in the palace, leaving everything to the two empresses dowager. Therefore, the Tongzhi Emperor was unaware of the execution of An Dehai. Only after hearing Empress Dowager Cixi's account did he burst into laughter, exclaiming, "That bastard, that lackey! Well done!"
Empress Dowager Cixi, hearing the emperor's insults, changed color and quickly rose to return to the palace.
The Tongzhi Emperor ignored her and went to the inner garden with his eunuchs.
Why did the Tongzhi Emperor hate An Dehai so intensely? Because An Dehai had held power in the palace for a long time, and among the three or four thousand eunuchs, some fawned upon him, while others resented him. An Dehai was also handsome and served Empress Dowager Cixi closely; she was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old at the time, in her prime, and loved to joke and laugh with eunuchs. Many people said that An Dehai wasn't a real eunuch, but an outsider who had infiltrated the palace to carry out the schemes of Lü Buwei and Laozi. Although young, the Tongzhi Emperor was very astute. Hearing the words of others, he already harbored deep hatred for An Dehai. Later, An Dehai gained the favor of Empress Dowager Cixi and became increasingly disrespectful to others, even insulting the emperor. One day, An Dehai was chatting with a group of eunuchs under the eaves of the Empress Dowager's palace when they saw the emperor approaching. The eunuchs all lowered their hands and went to pay their respects.
Only An Dehai not only didn't go to pay his respects, but he also didn't lower his hands. The emperor was furious and shouted, "Take him away! Use family discipline!" An Dehai became frightened and quickly knelt down, kowtowing and begging for mercy. Empress Dowager Cixi heard this from inside the palace and summoned the emperor, giving him a severe scolding. She said that An Dehai was a trusted servant of the late emperor, and even for minor offenses, he needed to consult the Empress Dowager first before being punished with family discipline. These words enraged the young emperor so much that he secretly took a small knife and tried to chop off the head of the clay figurine he was playing with. The eunuch serving the emperor asked him what he meant, and the emperor replied fiercely, "It's to kill Xiao Anzi." Now that he heard that An Dehai had been executed by imperial decree from Empress Dowager Ci'an, how could the emperor not be displeased?
Speaking of this Tongzhi Emperor, because he grew up in the Yuanmingyuan and Rehe Imperial Palace, where the palaces were not as strictly guarded as the Forbidden City, and were close to the streets, eunuchs would take him to play in the market from a young age. As he grew up, he witnessed all the games and lively scenes in the streets. Now that he had come to the capital and become emperor, the solemn palace and the lonely court made the lively young emperor very bored. So a group of young eunuchs accompanied the emperor, devising all sorts of games to amuse him, such as kicking balloons, kicking shuttlecocks, swimming, ice skating, boating, and opera singing. When they were having fun, the emperor would join in.
Prince Gong's son, Zaicheng, was the same age as the Tongzhi Emperor. The Tongzhi Emperor spent much of his time playing with Zaicheng at the Yuanmingyuan and in Rehe. Now, after many years apart, the Tongzhi Emperor summoned Zaicheng to the palace, and the two continued to play together. Zaicheng was a mischievous child, and while playing in various parts of Beijing, he learned many naughty games. Both of them used eunuchs as playthings. Later, the Tongzhi Emperor devised a game called "Jumping." This game required a slender build and agile waist. First, a stool was taken, and the eunuch stood on it, bending backward, his fingertips touching his heels, his belly protruding, his body resembling a bamboo hoop. Then, he would throw his legs over to touch his fingertips. This was repeated as quickly as possible. After seventy or eighty rolls, the stool's position must not be moved even slightly. When those young eunuchs first started practicing, their backs were inevitably stiff. Some died instantly, vomiting blood, while others had their backs broken, or fell off benches, hitting their heads and dying immediately. Several young eunuchs were killed every day, no matter how much the Empress Dowager tried to persuade them.
Later, every young eunuch in the palace learned this method of hand-to-hand combat, and it quickly spread outside the palace, becoming popular in theaters throughout the capital. When the Tongzhi Emperor reached fourteen, his intelligence began to develop, and with Zaicheng's encouragement, he started to frequent palace maids, abusing countless of them. Later, Empress Dowager Ci'an secretly noticed this and told Empress Dowager Cixi that she would propose marriage for the Emperor.
Since her conflict with Ci'an, Empress Dowager Cixi had become increasingly ruthless and decisive in all matters. When Empress Dowager Cixi held court behind the curtain each day, she would issue edicts to ministers without consulting Ci'an or waiting for her to speak. Ci'an, seeing this, became increasingly submissive and stopped attending court sessions altogether. Prince Gong, though loyal to Ci'an, saw her lack of courage and, wanting to save his own life, turned to other matters, trying to contact Chief Eunuch Cui and Eunuch Li, asking them to speak on his behalf to Empress Dowager Cixi.
Initially, Empress Dowager Cixi, knowing that Prince Gong was the mastermind behind the killing of An Dehai, hated him intensely and often considered using other pretexts to dismiss him. Later, Ronglu persuaded her otherwise, saying that Prince Gong was not only a close relative of the imperial family but also a minister entrusted with the care of the late emperor; furthermore, they possessed a secret edict from the late emperor, and if pushed too far, they might simply reveal it, which would be displeasing to the Empress Dowager. Cixi listened to Ronglu's advice and, finding it soundly correct, had no choice but to temporarily abandon her plan. Ronglu, however, was secretly trying to win over Prince Gong. He knew that Prince Gong was a regent and could not be sidelined no matter what, so it was better to win him over and have him help the Empress Dowager. At this time, Prince Gong was in a vulnerable position, and seeing someone trying to curry favor with him, he was happy to go along with it, siding with the Empress Dowager and becoming extremely cautious, obeying her orders. This gave the Empress Dowager a minister to help her, and it also erased her past hatred. It was just a pity that the Empress Dowager Ci'an was left alone in the palace, cold and lonely, without a confidante to consult. However, in the Empress Dowager Cixi's heart, she still believed that Emperor Xianfeng's secret edict was in Ci'an's hands, and she was still somewhat afraid and dared not immediately take action.
In fact, Emperor Xianfeng's secret edict was no longer in the hands of Empress Dowager Ci'an, nor in the hands of Prince Gong, but in the hands of Prince Chun's wife. When Li Lianying saw the edict, he went to tell the Empress Dowager, who hurriedly sent someone to plead with Prince Chun's wife. Upon hearing this, Princess Consort Chun immediately set up her carriage and rushed to the palace. Just as she entered the room, Emperor Xianfeng had just breathed his last. Taking advantage of the absence of others, Princess Consort Chun quickly searched the emperor's surroundings and found the secret edict, hiding it in her pocket.
She intended to show it to Empress Dowager Cixi, but fearing it would cause trouble, she hid it in her own home, deceiving Empress Dowager Cixi by saying she hadn't found it. This served two purposes: firstly, to avoid conflict between the two empresses dowager; and secondly, to instill some fear in Empress Dowager Cixi, preventing her from excessively mistreating Empress Dowager Ci'an. This was a very good method. When Emperor Tongzhi came of age, Empress Dowager Ci'an and Empress Dowager Cixi again argued over the emperor's marriage. It turned out that Emperor Tongzhi was growing older and had some understanding of matters between men and women; furthermore, Emperor Tongzhi wandered freely in the palace, and the palace maids did not restrain themselves; the eunuchs, in their spare time, would gather in small groups and enjoy telling amorous stories.
It was a sweltering day. In the afternoon, the Empress Dowager was taking a break from her banquet. The eunuchs sat around the gate of the palace, enjoying the cool air and gossiping amongst themselves. One eunuch recounted the execution of Su Shun, saying, "As Su Shun was about to be beheaded, he cursed the Empress Dowager with extremely vile words. The executioner placed the blade in his mouth, cutting his tongue and knocking out his teeth. Blood flowed from his mouth, but he still couldn't stop cursing." Another eunuch then told a story about Su Shun's father's scandalous affair.
Su Shun's father was Prince Zheng, Urgunbu; Su Shun was born to a concubine, a Hui girl from a respectable family. One day, Prince Zheng was returning from court when his carriage passed the entrance to Biaobei Alley. He saw a stunningly beautiful girl and was immediately captivated. Back at his palace, he couldn't stop thinking about her and summoned a trusted servant named Zhao to inquire about her, intending to buy her as a concubine. The man surnamed Zhao went to inquire and learned that the girl's father was Hui, and although the family was very poor, the girl was already betrothed. Zhao had no other choice but to report directly to Prince Zheng. However, it seemed that Prince Zheng and the girl had a past life connection; he was determined to take the girl as his concubine, giving Zhao three months to obtain her, even if it cost him 100,000 or 200,000 taels of silver. In his desperation, Zhao devised a plan. Coincidentally, there was an empty house in Biaobei Alley, which Zhao rented and lived in, becoming friends with the girl's father, a very close confidant, and often helping him financially. The girl's parents were very grateful to Zhao. With the deadline fast approaching, they couldn't think of a way to proceed. At this time, Prince Zheng suddenly received an order from the Infantry Commander's Office, and on his third day in office, he brought in a group of thieves. Suddenly, the man surnamed Zhao came up with a plan. He bribed the robbers, instructing them to insist that the girl's father was their henchman. He then deliberately planted stolen goods in her father's house, had him arrested, and beheaded along with the robbers. Zhao then provided money for the family's funeral and financial assistance to the mother and daughter. He also had someone forge his father's old IOUs and pressured the girl's family to repay the debt. Zhao even paid off the debt for them, making the mother and daughter extremely grateful. Secretly, Zhao instructed local thugs to break into the girl's house and harass her, deliberately causing a scene so her future mother-in-law would find out and accuse his fiancée of being unchaste. Her future mother-in-law, enraged, broke off the engagement. The mother and daughter, both resentful and impoverished, came to Zhao for advice. The man surnamed Zhao devised a plan for him, arranging for his daughter to become a concubine of Prince Zheng, and also rewarded her mother with three thousand taels of silver. The mother and daughter, having reached their wits' end, had no choice but to sacrifice this stunning beauty in the prince's palace.
Unexpectedly, the girl gave birth to a boy the following year, named Su Shun. Not many years later, Prince Zheng died of a malignant carbuncle. This carbuncle, called "head-falling carbuncle," festered around the neck until the head was severed. The executioners in the capital could even sew the severed head back onto the neck; Prince Zheng's body was also sewn back on before being buried. Strangely enough, the man surnamed Zhao also died of head-falling carbuncle at the same time.
After the eunuch finished telling the story, suddenly the Tongzhi Emperor emerged from behind the arched gate, startling the eunuchs. They hurriedly went to pay their respects, but the Emperor ignored them and instead sought out the eunuch who had told the story, asking him, "What use did Prince Zheng have for that girl, going to such lengths to obtain her? What is a concubine?" Hearing the Emperor's question, the eunuchs dared not laugh, nor could they speak freely. A few of the wicked among them secretly instructed the Emperor on how to seduce women. The Emperor found this fascinating and from then on, whenever he saw a palace maid, he would stop her to experiment. Countless palace maids were defiled by the Emperor in a short time; those who suffered had no way to complain. The news gradually reached the ears of Empress Dowager Ci'an, who then discussed with Empress Dowager Cixi the possibility of arranging a wedding for the Tongzhi Emperor. Empress Dowager Cixi also had this intention and immediately issued an edict to the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Works, and the Imperial Household Department to prepare everything. According to palace custom, before the emperor's wedding, he would first select eight older palace maids to serve him. These maids were called the Attendant of the Bedchamber, the Master of Ceremonies, and the Gatekeeper. The Tongzhi Emperor selected eight of his favorite palace maids to serve him. He was then asked to choose several ladies-in-waiting, several ladies-in-waiting, several ladies-in-waiting, several ladies-in-waiting, several ladies-in-waiting, several ladies-in-waiting, several ladies-in-waiting, several ladies-in-waiting, and several ladies-in-waiting (imperial noble consorts). Once all were selected, he would then choose the empress.
At the time, Empress Dowager Cixi wanted to choose the daughter of Consort Fengxiu as Empress, while Empress Dowager Ci'an preferred the daughter of Duke Chongqi. The two empresses argued fiercely over this matter. Ci'an believed that Chongqi's daughter was beautiful, dignified, and only nineteen years old. Although a few years older than the Emperor, she was well-mannered and fit to be Empress. Fengxiu's daughter, on the other hand, was only fourteen and perhaps not fully understood social etiquette; her appearance was not particularly beautiful, and her behavior was frivolous, making her unsuitable to be Empress. These words angered Empress Dowager Cixi, who accused Ci'an of intentionally slapping her face and caused a scene. Empress Dowager Ci'an was already overwhelmed by Empress Dowager Cixi's power. Seeing Cixi's outburst, she was speechless with anger. Later, Empress Dowager Ci'an came up with an idea, saying, "We two don't need to argue. This is the Emperor's matter. Why don't we invite the Emperor in and let him choose for himself?"
Empress Dowager Cixi thought: The Emperor is my son; he will always listen to me. So she invited the Emperor in, introduced the two princesses, and asked him to choose.
The Emperor had seen these two princesses when they visited the palace before, and he immediately chose Chongqi's daughter, naming her Empress Xiaozhe; he also bestowed the title of Consort Hui upon Fengxiu's daughter. Since this was the Emperor's idea, Empress Dowager Cixi couldn't object. The palace became very lively.
On the day of the wedding, the Great Qing Gate was opened, and the Empress was carried in; Consort Hui had entered the palace a day earlier to serve the Empress and the Emperor. After the Empress had offered prayers to Heaven and Earth, performed the grand ceremony, paid homage at the ancestral temple, and met with the two Empress Dowagers, the Tongzhi Emperor sat in the main hall to receive the congratulations of the officials. The hall was magnificently constructed, with twenty tiers of white stone steps beneath it, flanked by white stone railings. At the end of the steps was a long corridor with vermilion-lacquered pillars supporting it, and the window lattices were exquisitely carved. Many civil and military officials stood in the corridor, waiting to offer their congratulations in turn. Looking up, the hall had twenty-four long doors, each with wooden lattices carved with the character for longevity. The interior floor was paved with gold bricks, coated with black lacquer, making it very smooth. The ministers all prostrated themselves on the ground, kowtowing. The Emperor sat on his throne, a black oak throne inlaid with various colored jade stones. Behind this hall was the Emperor's sleeping quarters, consisting of twenty-four rooms; three were reserved for Consort Hui. Although the emperor's and empress's palaces were very close, they were not connected. Both the imperial palace and the harem had a long corridor leading to Empress Dowager Cixi's bedroom, for the emperor and empress's convenience in paying their respects to the empress dowager. This was originally Empress Dowager Cixi's idea, and she ordered it to be built this way.
After Emperor Tongzhi married Empress Xiaozhe, he was deeply fond of her because of her bright eyes, dignified demeanor, and gentle yet not frivolous manner towards him. The couple often spent time together in the palace. The empress was also well-versed in Tang poetry; whenever the emperor casually recited a line, she would recite it fluently, further endearing her to him. While the empress and emperor chatted and laughed in the palace, the maids and eunuchs waiting in the corridor never heard her laughter. Only Consort Hui was quite frivolous. Sometimes when the emperor went to Consort Hui's room, she would greet him with all sorts of seductive gestures, and the maids and eunuchs waiting in the corridor would only hear bursts of laughter from inside. Later, when the Empress found out, she issued an edict instructing Consort Hui to be more composed. Consort Hui, relying on being chosen by the Empress Dowager, disregarded the Empress, continuing her frivolous and unrestrained behavior, and even speaking ill of the Empress to the Empress Dowager behind her back. Empress Xiaozhe, already disliked by the Empress Dowager, became even more hostile after hearing Consort Hui's words. Every day when the Empress went to the Empress Dowager's palace to pay her respects, the Empress Dowager would always sternly tell her, "The Emperor is young; state affairs are of utmost importance. Do not keep him in the palace to play so often." Empress Xiaozhe felt deeply aggrieved by the Empress Dowager's disparaging remarks; fortunately, the Empress Dowager of the East favored her greatly and often summoned her to the palace to comfort her. When Empress Dowager Cixi learned of this, she became even more furious. She often said to the Emperor, "Consort Hui is very virtuous, so you should spend more time with her; the Empress is young and doesn't know any rules. The Emperor shouldn't be so infatuated with the palace that he neglects the affairs of the court." She said these words to the Emperor so often that he became annoyed and dared not visit the Empress's palace often. The Empress Dowager also secretly sent people to monitor the Emperor's movements. When they saw the Tongzhi Emperor visiting Consort Xiaozhe's palace, Empress Dowager Cixi would give him a long lecture the next day. This angered the Tongzhi Emperor so much that he stopped visiting the Empress's palace and Consort Hui's palace altogether, spending his days alone in the Qianqing Palace. Whenever he was bored, he would summon the young eunuchs who used to wrestle with him, and they would engage in various games to pass the time.
Since his marriage, the Tongzhi Emperor had changed his personality. He found all his former games meaningless, and no matter how the young eunuchs tried to coax him, the Emperor remained sullen and unhappy. Later, Chief Eunuch Cui brought a troupe of young actors to the palace to perform. At first, the Emperor was delighted. Later, after watching a performance of "The Emperor and the Phoenix," his lust was rekindled, and he secretly asked a young eunuch, "Are there any places in the capital where I can play with women?" The eunuch, eager to please the Emperor, praised the beauty of a certain young lady outside Yiwu Gate and the purity of a certain young mistress. The Emperor, upon hearing this, rewarded the eunuch with a large sum of money and ordered them to secretly accompany him to various places. The Emperor became so engrossed in these pleasures that he refused to return to the palace. Even Chief Eunuch Cui, knowing this, dared not say a word. Each day, after paying his respects to the Empress Dowager and attending court, the Emperor would slip out of the palace to wander. Outside, the Emperor called himself Chen, a scholar from Jiangxi. Besides playing with young women, he would also frequent teahouses and taverns to join in the fun.
One day, Mao Wenda, the Left Censor-in-Chief, and Changxi, an official, were drinking and chatting at the Chunyanlou tavern outside Xuanwu Gate when they suddenly noticed a handsome young man sitting in the east wing, with a young page standing behind him. Upon closer inspection, they realized the young man was none other than the Emperor himself. Dressed like a young nobleman, he casually held a wine cup in one hand and drank. The Emperor also noticed them and nodded and smiled at them. Mao Wenda and Changxi were immediately flustered and didn't dare drink. They hurriedly ran downstairs and quietly informed the Commander of the Infantry. The Commander was greatly alarmed and immediately mobilized his troops, personally leading them to protect the Emperor. Mao Wenda stopped him, saying, "Commander, if you go and everyone finds out, what if something happens to His Majesty? How can we bear the responsibility? Besides, your public announcement will prevent the Emperor from enjoying his leisure time, angering him instead. We won't gain any credit for protecting him, but will instead be reprimanded by His Majesty. What's the point?" The commander hesitated upon hearing Mao Wenda's words and asked, "What do you suggest, sir, so that we can have both?" Mao Wenda pondered for a long time before coming up with an idea. He instructed the commander to select twenty brave soldiers from the yamen, dress them in ordinary clothes, and secretly protect the Emperor at the Chunyan Tower. If the Emperor went elsewhere, they only needed to follow and protect him discreetly, without letting the Emperor know. The commander agreed and dispatched twenty brave men. To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.

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[Romantic Anecdotes of the Qing Dynasty Court] [76] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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