After giving the order, He Shen returned to Dongnuan Pavilion. At this time, Qianlong, who was lying on the couch, had fallen into a deep coma due to a stroke. One of the two imperial doctors was administering acupuncture treatment. Xiao Delu, the chief eunuch, stood aside and watched anxiously, looking very confused.
He Shen comforted Xiao Delu, and then gestured to another middle-aged imperial doctor named Meng, asking him to come out with him. The two came outside the palace, and He Shen said softly: "How is the emperor's condition?"
Doctor Meng cupped his hands and said: "Let's go back to the middle hall. This time, Shengjia was caused by excessive qi and blood disorder. The so-called qi deficiency cannot transform dampness, and dampness evil stays in the middle burner. Yin deficiency causes internal heat, heat burns body fluids, and dampness and heat accumulate. It blocks the meridians, turns into fire and generates wind, and the phlegm-fire reverses and blocks the clearing of the orifices. Acupuncture alone may not be enough, the medicine should be mainly used to restore yang, solidify, and awaken the brain and resuscitate the orifices. This is a prescription written by Xiaguan. Please review it in the middle hall. .”
He Shen listened very carefully. He now has many responsibilities, and is also in charge of the imperial hospital and the imperial pharmacy. He is the immediate boss of these imperial doctors. He took the prescription without looking at it and continued to ask: "When will the emperor wake up?"
Doctor Meng said: "You can definitely recover after using the medicine Holy Body. It's just..."
"Just what?"
"Even if the Emperor wakes up this time, he may still have trouble speaking and moving. He needs to calm down and recuperate, and try not to be disturbed by external affairs."
He Shen nodded, raised his eyes and glanced south, and saw the eunuch who had left before returning, followed by more than a dozen people wearing the uniforms of Sula's attendants, and his heart beat wildly. He suppressed a sigh and said: "Now the country is as powerful as a locust, the pirates from the North Sea are ready to move outside the customs, and the Miao people in the south are not stable. The Qing Dynasty cannot live without the emperor and his old man. Lao Meng, we have been together for more than ten years. Let’s make friends, please tell me the truth. If the emperor wakes up this time, can he still handle government affairs?”
"Uh." Doctor Meng hesitated for a moment, and finally said sadly: "Zhongtang, I want to be honest, the emperor's illness was too sudden this time. Even if he recovers, he may not be as good as before. It may be difficult for others to handle government affairs."
He Shen nodded after hearing this, then opened the prescription and looked at it for a moment, then suddenly said with surprise: "Huh? This prescription is not quite right."
"Zhongtang, I dare to guarantee with my life, there is no prescription." Doctor Meng hurriedly defended, but he did not notice that the eunuchs had arrived a few steps behind him.
Just at this moment, a sudden change occurred. A Sulla attendant walking in the front shook his hand and slipped something from his sleeve, which shone with a bright cold light under the light. This person walked up behind Dr. Meng, covered his mouth, stabbed him in the back of the heart with a dagger, and twisted twice.
Doctor Meng's back was in heart-wrenching pain, and a hoarse whine came from his throat. He widened his eyes and looked at the smiling He Shen in disbelief, kicked his legs hard a few times, and breathed out unwillingly.
"There are four in the main hall and four in the Xinuan Pavilion. Except for the emperor, Xiao Delu should not hurt him, just restrain him."
After hearing He Shen's order, the man in charge of the assassination wiped the dagger on the sole of his boot twice and said in a deep voice: "Yes. Master, what other orders do you have?" Although the man spoke in a hushed tone, his voice was hoarse and rough. , obviously not a eunuch.
"Your Majesty, you can't wake up, and you can't die. Do you understand?!"
Another guy with a fat face said softly: "Master, don't worry, we have also learned medical skills for two years, and this method is still within our reach."
He Shen closed his eyes and nodded heavily, and a dozen people filed in from beside him. A few breaths later, several exclamations and screams came from the Dongnuan Pavilion, and a vague smell of blood drifted into Heshen's nose. He opened his eyes and looked at the dark night sky in the distance, feeling worried.
Although today's sudden launch was a bit hasty, He Shen knew in his heart that Qianlong would most likely not be able to survive this time. Once the palace doors open at dawn, the news cannot be concealed no matter what, and by then it will be too late to do anything.
That is, in the cold winter half a year ago, when Zhao Xin said those shocking words in Shuifa Building, He Shen, who was greatly shocked, began to plan a way out for himself and his family. However, when he analyzed all aspects one by one, he found that he did not have many choices.
Guarding Qianlong and waiting for the Northern Navy to invade the capital, Zhao Xin could pocket all the gold and silver he had accumulated over the years? He was unwilling to give in.
Make preparations in advance and take the emperor to Xi'an? Not to mention whether the eighty-three-year-old Qianlong was willing to be the "Emperor Tang Ming", or even if he was willing, he could not bear the torment. How long could he stay in Xi'an? If the Northern Navy attacks from both east and west, will the court have to continue to Xining or even Tibet? Qianlong, who was in his eighties, entered the snow-covered plateau, and He Shen's scalp went numb just thinking about it.
What's more, Heshen is not tired of living yet! When Chaoyin Temple concluded the negotiations and returned to Beijing to return his orders, he had never forgotten the murderous intention he felt from Yong Yan. Although Qianlong was said to have secretly established his crown prince, today the princes and ministers would be fools if they could not see it.
All right! Although Zhao Xin had clearly rejected his temptation to seek refuge outside the customs, He Shen still saw an opportunity from the other party's behavior over the years. In his opinion, although Beihai Town used the banner of Qianming to win people's hearts, Zhao Xin's attitude towards the Manchus and prisoners outside the pass was enough to prove that this person would not kill them all, and as long as he did things for him, he would have a way to survive; Naqi Tai is the perfect example.
He didn't want to give up his wealth or his life, so there was only one way left in front of He Shen. He went to Yunnan and Guizhou to join forces with He Lin to win Myanmar and southern Tibet for Zhao Xin. I help you expand your territory, and you provide arms and material support. With this merit, it is not too much to change the position of guarding northern Myanmar for generations in the new dynasty, right?
For nine years, the Manchu emperors and ministers of the Qing Dynasty came to a conclusion from large and small intelligence. The reason why Zhao Xin conquered the capital in the east and west was to seek stability, and to turn the barriers into territory was another. It was not enough for this man to force the court to take Gorkha. He also had southern Tibet and northern Myanmar in mind. His wolfish ambitions were clearly revealed.
He Shen believed that as long as he had the support of Beihai Town, coupled with his huge financial resources and He Lin's 30,000 troops, neither Yongyan nor Fukang'an would dare to touch him.
With the plan in mind, he began to make preparations. Years ago, after discussing with Liu Quan, Ma Baishan and other confidants, he first transferred the group of people specializing in extermination and assassination back to the capital from the south of the Yangtze River. There are more than seventy people in this group, all of whom he has adopted as dead soldiers for many years, and they obey their orders. Later, Heshen used his power as the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to place most of them into Sulla's attendants in the Old Summer Palace.
Of course, if you want to carry out a coup, just these people are not enough.
While He Shen was in a daze, the people in the palace were killed and bundled, and several of his subordinates began to carry the bodies out and wipe the ground. All the dead will be tied to heavy objects and sunk into the lake behind.
He Shen rubbed his face with his hands and turned back into the hall. When he walked into Dongnuan Pavilion, he saw the chief eunuch Xiao Delu, who was tied up like a rice dumpling, lying on the ground, looking at him with eyes full of surprise and fear. He Shen ignored Li Yu, but walked to the couch and took a bunch of keys from the unconscious Qianlong's waist. Then he went straight to Xinuang Pavilion, which is known as "Le'anhe".
This was Qianlong's bedroom and study, which were extremely private. Even though he was favored by Qianlong, he could not come in easily. After entering the room, he looked around, came to the desk, poured some water into the inkstone, rubbed the cinnabar ink, took a piece of yellow paper used to write the edict, picked up the pen, dipped it in the ink, and started to write. snake. If Xiao Delu saw it, he would be surprised that his handwriting is almost exactly the same as Qianlong's.
It is said that He Shen worked hard on poetry in order to please Qianlong, otherwise historically he would not have had a "Collected Works of Jiale Tang". In addition, his calligraphy skills are also first-rate. Since he often wrote poems for Qianlong, he could imitate Qianlong's handwriting to the point of being fake.
Heshen wrote a total of two edicts and a letter. After that, he went to Qianlong's bedside, opened a sandalwood box about a foot square with a key, and took out a seal from a yellow silk bag. This is an "Emperor's Treasure" seal inscribed in both Manchu and Chinese characters. It is made of sandalwood wood, carved with a coiled dragon button, and tied with a silk ribbon. The text is written in jade-reinforced seal script (a type of small seal script).
In the eleventh year of Qianlong's reign, the "Sealing Maniac" re-examined and ranked the many imperial treasures of the previous emperors, and finally set the total number at twenty-five square meters, and stipulated in detail the scope of use of each. Among the twenty-five square jade seals, this sandalwood seal is used most frequently, and its use range is extremely wide, and other treasures cannot compare with it.
He Shen held his breath, carefully dipped in cinnabar ink, and stamped both forged edicts. While waiting for the ink and marks to dry, he took out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead and the back of his neck.
After that, he first put the "Emperor's Treasure" into a bag, tied it around his waist under his official robe, and looked at the full-length mirror in the room, because the official uniform was very wide and could not be seen from the outside. . Immediately afterwards, he folded the two pieces of imperial paper with seals and put them into his sleeves, and then walked out of Xinuang Pavilion.
"Go and call Hu Shijie." He Shen ordered the eunuch who brought his men down.
The eunuch was stunned for a moment, then nodded and said "Abba, Ababa" twice. It turned out that this man was mute.
After a stick of incense, when the Jiuzhou Qingyan Palace was cleaned and a faint scent of agarwood was floating, Hu Shijie, the eunuch who delivered the order, also arrived. He called He Shen who was waiting outside the palace gate and said with a smile: "He Zhongtang, are you looking for the younger one?"
He Shen took out an edict from his sleeve, handed it to the other party and said: "The Emperor summons Prince Yi and Prince Ding to enter the palace immediately. This is the edict."
Hu Shijie hurriedly knelt on the ground, took it with both hands, and carefully opened the lantern in the hand of Sula's chamberlain at the door. He saw it read: "Important, Prince Yi Yonglang and Prince Ding Mian'en enter the garden immediately. See you. May 25, the fifty-first year of Qianlong's reign."
The words were correct and the seal was correct. Hu Shijie did not doubt that he was there, so he got up and left. When the other party disappeared, He Shen took out another forged edict, letter and a square waist badge from his sleeve, and said softly: "Go to Guajia Tun and give this to Liu Quan and let him prepare. "
The reason why he wanted to force Prince Yi Yonglang and Prince Ding Mian'en to enter the palace was to control them so as to gain control over the Eight Banners Guard Camp and the Infantry Commanding Office.
The Manchu Qing Dynasty learned the lessons of the Ming Dynasty, and a very important feature of its internal system was checks and balances, which made it impossible for anyone in history to launch a coup through military means. Although the power of the military and aircraft ministers was great, they were only the head of civil servants and the mouthpiece of the emperor.
Therefore, although He Shen was both the Admiral of the Nine Gates and the Minister of Internal Affairs and Security, it was Qianlong's grandson Mian'en who really controlled the infantry commanding yamen, and the person who controlled the Eight Banners Guarding Camp was Yonglang, the third generation Prince Yi. In other words, our He Zhongtang is not a presidential minister with a palm seal and no military symbols. As long as they find something wrong after dawn, the two princes can lead their troops to kill him in minutes.
By the way, in the Qing Dynasty, the military talisman that could mobilize the emperor's troops was never a gold medal arrow, but two waist badge-like things; one was engraved in Yang characters and the other was engraved in Yin characters. When mobilizing troops, in addition to showing the above Yes, it still needs to be inspected to see if the two are in perfect harmony with the other.
After the mute eunuch left, He Shen called two of his men to accompany him to a small courtyard outside the Old Summer Palace. When he knocked on the door and walked in, he saw more than thirty people holding weapons, wearing armors inside and wearing cotton armor gathered in the yard under bright lights. He Shen was seen shaking his sleeves and kneeling down, saying in unison: "master."
He Shen nodded slightly, raised his hand to signal everyone to get up, and asked with a smile: "Have you all eaten and drank enough?"
"I am full!"
"Okay! When we do it later, those two princes will be left alive, and none of their guards will be spared."
"嗻!"
To make a long story short, more than half an hour later, the sky became dim. Prince Yi Yonglang and Prince Ding Mian'en, who came under the imperial edict, dismounted their horses outside the palace gate, took four bodyguards with them, and walked quickly with Hu Shijie, the eunuch who delivered the order. When they walked across the Ruyi Bridge leading to Qingyan in Kyushu and arrived at the entrance of the Old Summer Palace, the two princes were about to order a few guards to wait here when suddenly a dozen people sprang out from the darkness on both sides, each holding a weapon. , coming straight forward.
At this time, the four guards under Mian En and Yong Lang were shocked. Seeing the other party slashing with a knife, they unconsciously raised their hands to block it with their arms. You must know that this is a forbidden garden. Without the emperor's order, if you dare to hold weapons here, you will die.
The two leading men holding long knives raised and lowered their knives, and immediately chopped off the forearms of the two guards. Only two screams were heard, and the attacker stepped forward and used a stumbling block, kicking the two of them to the ground. The reason why a long knife is used is because this knife is very suitable for fighting in the dark. It is precisely because it cannot be seen clearly that it follows the principle of "an inch longer, an inch stronger".
Those who can serve as bodyguards for the prince are all very skilled. When they saw someone coming, they dared to do something dirty. They shouted "Who is it?" and then waved the riding whip in their hands to protect the two princes and ran back. However, they soon discovered that several figures were already standing at the bridge, blocking the retreat.
Prince Yi Yonglang was shocked and shouted: "I am Prince Heshuo, and I am here to meet you! Why do you want to kill someone?"
Prince Ding Mian'en also had a face full of panic. Although he was the most proficient in bowing, horse riding, and shooting among the kings, he had no bow and arrows, no swords, and no armor. How could he resist?
At this time, I heard someone behind me say: "The imperial edict has arrived, please take it from the two princes~~"
Yong Lang turned around and looked around, and saw a smiling middle-aged man wearing a python robe standing at the door of the hall under the bright lights. Who else could it be if it wasn't He Shen?
"He Zhongtang save me"
While Yong Lang and others were stunned, several attackers took advantage of the opportunity and knocked down the two guards and the two princes with force. Prince Mian'en, who was in his forties, was different from the skinny Yong Lang. He was as strong as an ox. He couldn't help but thrashing about after being knocked to the ground. He Shen's two men almost couldn't control it, and then they pounced on them. They held him down together, and one of them stepped on his neck with his foot, making it difficult for him to move his upper body.
However, Mian'en's legs were still struggling desperately, and he shouted hoarsely: "Here comes someone." Before he could finish speaking, someone stuffed a rope into his mouth.
Soon, the two princes and two guards were severely tied up with ropes. Yonglang and Mian'en were stuffed into the cowhide bags prepared in advance and tied, and dragged and dragged into the not far away place. courtyard. The four guards were also stripped of their yellow mantles, one of them was stabbed in the heart, stuffed into his pockets, packed with stones, carried by four people respectively, and thrown into the lake.
As for the eunuch who delivered the order, Hu Shijie, he had been so frightened that he huddled under the stone lion. His whole body was limp, with snot and tears streaming down his face. He looked at He Shen standing on the steps and thought to himself, "Oh my God!" What happened?
