He was an infantry commander who was responsible for leading a force to guard the Forbidden City and defend the lives and property of the royal family. And, because he had such a responsibility, he often got news about what was happening in the Forbidden City.
He always had to tell Lan Er's father about these news first, because although her father was old and could no longer command the army, he was still interested in military affairs and liked to talk about it.
After the usual greetings (a traditional habit that obscures the true purpose of the guests' visits), Rong Lu began to get to the point.
"The empress failed to give Xianfeng a son." He said slowly.
The old man didn't make a sound, he just spewed a wisp of light smoke from his lips. But his eyes lit up, and Rong Lu would tell him the details in a moment. Rong Lu seemed to appreciate the refreshments delivered by the servants. He knew how to make the most secure announcement of a dramatic news. "There is no heir to the throne of the Qing Empire." After a while, Rong Lu continued.
Then, the following words suddenly poured out, because Rong Lu saw lan er, who was listening on the other side of the shed, raising his head impatiently, even though he had been pretending to be reading ancient books with care.
"Therefore," he went on, "the Holy Prophet decreed that he would make a concubine. Of course, she must be of noble birth. Seventeen Manchurian girls, all from the house of eunuchs, were proposed in the Holy Decree to go to the Forbidden City on the appointed day so that the Saints could choose from them. They told me that the empress was furious, but there was nothing she could do, because the emperor had absolute authority.
Soon, there will be an imperial concubine in the palace. The emperor hopes to reverse the fate of the royal family from now on and get a prince to inherit the throne!"
At this time, Lan Er did something unexpected, she did not care about the teacher, nor did her sister frown at her in horror, but left her seat, and even the book that was opened for the sample forgot to close, and ran into the house.
"My name is among those seventeen!" She screamed with excitement, "I know, you told me!" Her delicate hand pressed against her heart.
The heart in Rong Lu's chest was cold. There was something there, something very cold, heavy and stuffy, like the hand of a drowning man, pressing heavily on his heart. When he came into contact with Lan Er's gaze, his face became sluggish. He wanted to see Lan Er's father. The father looked at Lan Er with stunned eyes. He opened his mouth to say something.
Suddenly, a servant came in to inform him that the emperor's emissaries had arrived.
The messenger was a eunuch in palace clothes who came in majestically. It seems to be Xianfeng's envoy. He graciously handed Lan Er's father a piece of yellow paper with many seals.
A piece of holy will! Just a piece of yellow paper. Yellow China represents the color of imperial power!
But after all, it was destined to change the entire life of Rong Lu and Lan Er, to write the entire chapter of China's lengthy history. Lan Er's father read the holy will, bowed his head solemnly, and looked up at Rong Lu.
But the door was already closed behind Rong Lu. Maybe he guessed it, maybe his heart had told him what the eunuch had brought to his beloved girl's house.
So, far before the general had finished reading the holy will, he had already walked through the garden. It was the second time he had walked through the garden in the day. This garden sheltered the gazebo, and the gazebo, the place where he dreamed and hoped to realize his dreams there.
