As soon as Li Hongzhang returned to the house, he had no time to change his clothes, so he rushed to the study room. A middle-aged scholar had been waiting here for a long time.

This person's name is Zhou Fu, a native of Jiande, Anhui. In his early years, he failed many exams, so he joined the army and ran to the Huai Army to become a clerk. With his extraordinary ability, he was attracted by Li Hongzhang and became Li Hongzhang's aide. Not long after, Zhou Fu was promoted to county magistrate and county magistrate, and then promoted to Zhili magistrate and replenishment for replenishment, and the prefect stayed in Jiangsu for replenishment, and his career was smooth. In 1870, the ninth year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty, he stayed in Zhili as a Taoist, and in 1877, he served as the Yongding River Road in 1877. Now he can be regarded as the number one aide in Li Hongzhang's mansion.

At this time, as soon as Li Hongzhang entered the study, Zhou Fu immediately greeted him and bowed. Li Hongzhang helped him and nodded: "You don't have to be too polite to Yushan, sit down." As he said that, the two of them took a seat.

"The West Palace's illness has been dealt with again. This time I fainted in the court. All the adults saw it. The news came out of the palace that I had fainted a few times, but there was no external rumor. I just said to the ministers that I was ill. Now, it's not that simple. I guess there were rumors in the capital at this time."

Zhou Fu smiled and said, "There are no more people to use it until now. Those princes and ministers, who have no suspicion in the palace, have long been exploring and speculating on the condition of the West Palace. Today, it's just confirmed. However, this time, Chonghou's life will definitely not be saved."

Li Hongzhang also smiled: "Indeed, if it is normal, everyone begged for mercy, it will pass. But today, the empress dowager is sick. Even if she is not Chonghou's angry, the shit must be put on his head. If it is not done well, the house will be searched. This person who will not care about him for the first time will be dying. Now the decree has been sent from the palace, asking the governors and governors to recommend famous doctors and go to Beijing for consultation. What do you think about this?"

Zhou Fu shook his head and said, "The Queen Mother of the Cialis has not been in one or two days. I heard that she had the root of the disease when she was in Xianfeng. After being diagnosed by the Imperial Hospital for so many years, she has not recovered. Now it seems that it is getting worse and worse. It can be seen that this disease is really difficult to cure. Although it is so big in the world, and there are so many strange people who don't know how many people can't cure it, but after all, it may be more likely to be difficult. If it is not cured, it may implicate the recommended person."

Li Hongzhang nodded: "It's right, but since the palace has issued an order, it's not enough to be seen. Therefore, this candidate must be very cautious."

After hearing what Li Hongzhang said, Zhou Fu thought about it, then patted his folding fan and said, "I have it, the student recommends one person. This person is named Xue Fuchen, from Wuxi, and is the second juren in the Shuntian provincial examination in the fifth year of Xianfeng. He served as the Ministry of Works for a few days. In the eighth year of Xianfeng, he died of his father's illness and returned to his hometown. During the period of Dingyou, Changmao conquered Wuxi, so he and his mother and brother stayed in Baoying. At that time, he had served in Dongweng's mansion. After pacifying Changmao, he went to the alternate prefect of Shandong.

At that time, the Yellow River gap was flooded and disasters were flooded. Governor Ding Baojian knew that he had research on water conservation and asked him to help with treatment, so he had a very shallow relationship with Ding Baojian. This person is proficient in various medical books, and Dongweng can help Ding Baojian jointly recommend it. Ding Baojian had previously abused the Queen Mother of the Cialis due to the Andehai case. Although he was protected by the Queen Mother of the East Palace, he now recommended a good doctor and could repair his relationship with the Queen Mother of the Cialis. He had no chance of refusing. If he was not cured in the future, he could share some responsibilities."

A few days later, Li Hongzhang, Governor of Huguang, Li Hanzhang, and Shandong Governor Ding Baojian jointly recommended Xue Fuchen to go to Beijing to diagnose the Queen Mother of the Holy Mother.

Because Chonghou was involved in his greed, he was executed by Empress Dowager Ci'an and his house was confiscated. The assets were confiscated from his home, totaling 870,000 taels of silver, of which 370,000 taels of silver were collected. It must have been prepared to come out to redeem people, and now it is all used as the military pay of Zuo Zongtang's Western Army.

There are also houses, land, shops and treasures at home. A total of 500,000 taels of silver were sold, and they were sent to the palace for the Empress Dowager to treat the Empress Dowager - who made you irritate the Empress Dowager?

In August, Xue Fuchen arrived in the capital.

Today is an interview at the Imperial Hospital. Since you are going to treat the empress dowager, let’s try whether you have any real materials. At the same time, there were seven people including Wang Shouzheng, the magistrate of Yangqu County, Shanxi Province, and Ma Wenzhi, a famous doctor in Menghe, Wujin County, and others.

After asking about routine questions such as medical books and opinions on certain medical issues, the Office of the Internal Affairs thought that "they are very proficient in medicine and pulse theory", so he began to go to the palace to treat Cixi.

As soon as Xue Fuchen walked into Cixi's house, he smelled a fragrance. This fragrance had a slight sweetness, which was different from the fragrance of flowers, musk or wood. I don't know what it was.

Xue Fuchen's physical condition was different from ordinary people since childhood and was very sensitive to external changes. This is why he later learned medical skills. Because his physical condition is too sensitive, he will get sick if there is a little change in the external climate. As the saying goes, he becomes a doctor after a long illness, and it is impossible to learn.

When they entered Cixi's bed, through the curtain, several people kowtowed to the Empress Dowager first, and then slowly stretched out a hand from the tent - of course, it was hidden in the sleeve. Through the clothes, Xue Fuchen, Wang Shouzheng, Ma Wenzhi, and the imperial physician Li Deli, four of them diagnosed the Empress Dowager's pulse.

Cixi asked, "What is the disease of the Ai family? Do you guys have any conclusions?"

Several people looked at each other, and it was better for the imperial physician to speak first at this time. Doctor Li was not polite and replied: "From the empress dowager's pulse, it is indeed a 'bone steam' disease. It should be made with bitterness and cold medicines."

After Doctor Li finished speaking, Xue Fuchen and others agreed. However, Xue Fuchen disagreed with Doctor Li in terms of medication: "I believe that it is true that the disease of 'bone steaming' is bitter and cold medicine. But the empress dowager is now weak. If she still only uses bitter medicine, cold medicine may be too severe, and it will not be beautiful. It is better to try adding 'Rehmannia' and other medicines and then use ginseng to help her. "

Ma Wenzhi, on the side, immediately said: "No, the Empress Dowager has been sick for a long time and is weak. The so-called "deficiency is not replenished". If you use ginseng and other objects at this time, it is too much of a conquest."

Seeing that everyone was different, Cixi was impatient to listen to their arguments, so she sent all the people out.

When he got outside, there were naturally eunuchs who led each person to prescribe medicine separately. Xue Fuchen still insisted on his opinion and quickly prescribed the prescription. When the eunuch who was serving him saw that the prescription had been prescribed, he wanted to show it to Cixi. However, Xue Fuchen thought about something and quickly stopped him and said, "This supervisor, the lower-ranking official, just now, I have never smelled it before. I was very curious. What fragrance did the Empress Dowager use in the room?"

As he said, he handed over a silver ingot in his hand.

The eunuch took it without hesitation, weighed it casually, and it weighed about half a pound, then hid it in his arms, saying, "I dare not be the word "master" in the house of the Empress Dowager. The French perfume used in the house of the Empress Dowager. At first, it was a filial piety offered by Emperor Wansui during the birthday of the Empress Dowager. Later, the Empress Dowager used it well, so the French ambassador Li found to buy it specifically."

After hearing this, Xue Fuchen thought for a moment, and added a few words to the original prescription before handing it to the little eunuch to take it away.

Soon, the prescriptions of the four people were placed in front of Cixi. I saw that the prescriptions prescribed by Xue and Wang were basically the same, they were all warm and tonic prescriptions, while the prescriptions prescribed by Ma Wenzhi were sweet and flat. Needless to say, Doctor Li was still as usual, and it was still a bitter and cold prescription.

Cixi had been taking the prescriptions of the Imperial Hospital for a long time, and the disease was not mild but severe. At this time, she naturally abandoned the prescription of Dr. Li. She wanted to use Ma Wenzhi's Ganping prescription, but when she saw Xue Fuchen wrote in the prescription: "The Empress Dowager's disease should not be used for a long time in the bedroom. She should go out appropriately. It should be ventilated in the room. I heard that the Empress Dowager is good at using perfume, so it is better to use a light fragrance of flowers at this time." Thinking about the consultation of the four people, Xue and Wang both used warm and tonic prescriptions, so she handed Xue Fuchen's prescription to Li Lianying and said, "Just use this."

From August, Cixi took Jilin ginseng with warm and tonic prescriptions in the palace, and three times a day, the eunuch carried Cixi to walk around the palace. In September and October, Cixi's spirit began to recover, and Fengyan was very happy. Not only did she reward Xue Fuchen, but she didn't know much gold, silver and jewelry, but she also wrote the word Yunlong Fushou for Xue Fuchen as a reward. As for the others, she naturally sent her back to her home.

"In the third year of Guangxu, the birthday party was held today. At that time, the ministers of France and the United States had talked to the emperor. Later, they learned that the emperor asked them to buy Western treasures on their behalf as gifts to the two empress dowagers. Later, the mother Queen Mother Queen Mother gave a music box in the United States. When the Empress Dowager Mother was born, the Western perfume was presented."

In Li Hongzhang's study, Zhou Fu was talking.

"The Queen Mother used it, probably liked it, so she contacted the legal person afterwards and bought some again. Both times they sent letters through the French minister and then bought them."

The prescription used by Xue Fuchen made Cixi gradually improve, and his prescription was naturally the focus of attention of all princes and ministers. In addition to the different medicines used from others, Li Hongzhang paid special attention to the two sentences written by Xue Fuchen in the prescription.

After seeing off Zhou Fu, Li Hongzhang ordered to change his clothes and prepare sedan chairs, and came to Dongjiao Hutong alone to visit French Minister Badno.

"Oh, my friend, why are you free to come to me?"

As soon as he saw Li Hongzhang, Badno immediately greeted him enthusiastically.

Li Hongzhang did not like Western etiquette and hurriedly bowed. Badno lived in China for a long time, so he naturally knew the problems of these Chinese officials. He did not care and let Li Hongzhang into the living room.

After the two sides separated the guests and the host and the host, Badno said: "There is an old Chinese saying, "You don't go to the Three Treasures Hall without any trouble." What's wrong with you coming today?"

Li Hongzhang has long been familiar with the Westerners' straightforward conversation method and the ability to use Chinese common sayings for a long time. He smiled and said, "I really have something to do, please help me."

Badno laughed and said, "It's okay, we are friends, what's the matter? Is it about the Russians?"

Because of Cixi's illness some time ago, the court never agreed to the Russians' request in Xinjiang, but sent Zeng Jize to Russia for renegotiation. However, the Russians did not agree to exchange the agreement with a favorable agreement and increased their troops in the northwest. At this time, Britain, France and the United States all hoped that the court could appropriately open ports to trade with Russia, so that according to the principle of "equal benefits" of Westerners, they could also enjoy it at the same time.

Li Hongzhang hates Westerners most about finding excuses to interfere in China's internal affairs, let alone forcing himself to sign an unequal treaty! At this time, he heard Badno mention it and waved his hand: "No, no, no, I came to Mr. Minister to talk about official affairs. I have some private matters and want to trouble Mr. Minister."

When Badno heard that Li Hongzhang was not here to talk about Xinjiang, he was a little disappointed, but he still said falsely: "Oh, it doesn't matter, your business is mine, please tell me."

"That's right. His Majesty the Emperor of my country and the Queen Mother of the Queen Mother asked the Minister to buy your country's perfume. After my wife knew about it, she really hoped that this noble perfume could be used. Therefore, I would like to ask the Minister. I don't know what the perfume is called and where can I buy it?"

"Oh, it turns out that's the case. I'm very sorry, my friend, I don't know the exact name of this perfume, but I can write to my friends in China for inquiries."

When Li Hongzhang heard this, he hurriedly said, "It's okay, it's okay, why not do this? Please give me your friend's name and address. I'll write to me and ask myself how."

Badno thought to himself that it was just buying some perfume for him, not arms, and not making money at all. It was nothing more than a matter of face. Without saying a word, he took out paper and pen and wrote the detailed contact information of the domestic contact person to Li Hongzhang.

Li Hongzhang got what he wanted, but was afraid that Badno would mention the contract in Xinjiang again, so he didn't dare to stay for too long, so he quickly said goodbye and went out.

When he returned home, Li Hongzhang changed into his regular clothes, came to the study room and sat down, and ordered: "Please come to the French-speaking gentleman in the mansion."

Li Hongzhang had been dealing with foreigners since the Huai Army. He had many gentlemen who were proficient in Western affairs and foreign languages ​​at home. After the master's instructions, a servant immediately went to invite people. Soon, a young man stood in front of Li Hongzhang.

Li Hongzhang gave him the contact information written by Badno, "Tell me a letter and ask me about the specific situation of the perfume purchased by the French minister Mr. Badno before."

The man didn't ask much, took the note and said goodbye. After the letter was written, someone naturally handed over to the merchants who returned to France, so Li Hongzhang didn't have to worry about this.

In the seventh year of Guangxu, early summer.

After Xue Fuchen's treatment, Cixi's body improved slightly in autumn. In spring, she could go to court to discuss politics, but her body was still weak and she still could not handle government affairs for a long time. Unexpectedly, in summer, due to the changes in the weather, Cixi's condition recurred again. Until now, Xue Fuchen has always lived in the palace to regulate Cixi's body.

That night, Li Hongzhang was listening to someone reading a reply from France at home.

"The French said in the letter that although this substance can indeed be used as an aromatic agent, it is best not to use it in large quantities because it has certain toxicity. Of course, there is no problem in using it in small quantities."

A few years ago, because of a sudden interest, I wrote to the French to ask about perfume. After half a year, Li Hongzhang forgot about this matter, but he didn't expect that he would finally reply now.

After hearing the translation's content of the letter, Li Hongzhang immediately caught his mind by the word "toxic".

You know, this is used for the Empress Dowager. Even if there is a slightest part of the word "poison", it is a crime of beheading, not to mention that this thing was presented by the emperor.

But the cost of the palace is something that will definitely be found to be someone to try. I guess there is no problem, so I will use it for the empress dowager. What's more, after the empress dowager used it, I like it very much, and even make people buy it again. Will the French make a mistake?

Of course, he would not tell these ideas to the little translator in front of him. Not to mention such matters related to the royal family, not to mention just speculation, even if there is real evidence, he cannot tell anyone. Li Hongzhang was just thinking about it in his heart, but in fact he didn't really take it to heart.

After taking the letter paper handed over by the translator, Li Hongzhang put it into his sleeve and waved his hand to let him go.

Seeing that he had nothing to do, the young translator bowed and went out. As soon as he walked to the door, he ran into the butler who was rushing to the rush.

The old housekeeper has been following Li Hongzhang for decades and has never seen any storm before. At this time, he was so panicked, something big must have happened. Li Hongzhang didn't bother to blame the little translator and asked quickly: "Except for what!"
Chapter completed!