Chapter 90 Section 90 Beauty Spy

Early the next morning, Li Hongzhang, led by Prince Chun, entered the palace to meet the Queen Mother as usual.In the court room, Li Hongzhang saw several ministers gathered together and whispering together, and Prince Li and Prince Qing also spoke inside.Li Hongzhang greeted them one by one without paying attention. After entering the palace, as usual, the young Emperor Guangxu sat in the front, and the Empress Dowager Cixi sat in the back to ask questions.Empress Dowager Cixi said: "Li Hongzhang, please get up and answer." Li Hongzhang replied: "Thank you for your kindness, Queen Mother." Then he got up.Empress Dowager Cixi continued: "Li Hongzhang, how old are you this year? Maybe sixty-five?"

Li Hongzhang replied: "The Empress Dowager Xie remembers that I am exactly sixty-five years old this year." The Empress Dowager Cixi pondered for a while, then suddenly sighed and said, "In a short while, we are all old! Li Hongzhang, it is really hard for you to go back and forth between Baoding, Tianjin, and Yantai in the past few years! Are the warships almost sold out? Can they be fought?" Li Hongzhang replied: "Returning to the Queen Mother, the Beiyang Navy has purchased 20 warships from abroad, including two iron-clad ships, three large cruisers, and four smaller cruisers. The Beiyang Navy currently has a total of 25 large and small ships. The management of each ship is all personnel who have returned from studying abroad, and they are also good at sailing and sailing. Now all the ships of the Navy are practicing on the water every day. My servant I think that according to the current scale of our navy, if the drill is done well, although there is no very good chance of winning in actual combat, self-protection should not be a problem."

Empress Dowager Cixi thought for a while and asked again: "Li Hongzhang, what else are you going to do?" Li Hongzhang replied: "Returning to the Queen Mother, I have already discussed with Prince Jin, Prince Qing, and Prince Li. Taking advantage of the fact that there are still several million taels of silver in the Navy Yamen, I plan to order three more armored ships from abroad this year." The number of ships and two cruisers makes the number of navy ships into 30, ensuring that our Qingshui division can attack and defend freely." The Empress Dowager Cixi pondered for a long time, then suddenly let out another long sigh, and then said: "Hey, there is no end to this matter, there is no end to it. This man, it's time to take a break. You have to take a breather. You, you have been busy since you arrived in Zhili. Busy wires, telegraphs, railways, mines, and later coastal defense, even the hard-working people have been tossed and softened! Sixty-five, It's time to take a break! Let me see about the purchase of the boat. Let's talk about it later. Even if it's a year or two late, it doesn't matter. Twenty-five boats are not too small. As long as foreigners stop bullying We, we don't need to spend all our money on the water. Kneel down."

Li Hongzhang hurriedly knelt down and withdrew.But he kept muttering in his heart: Why did the queen mother suddenly propose to delay the purchase of the ship this year, which had been agreed a long time ago? When he returned to the Navy Yamen that day, Prince Jin and Prince Qing dragged him into the secret room.Prince Jin said: "Shaoquan, did you understand what the Queen Mother said today?" While thinking about it, Li Hongzhang said: "The other words, the lower officials understand, but the queen mother suddenly said that the purchase of foreign ships is not allowed this year, but the lower officials don't quite understand. Didn't we talk about this matter a few years ago? Is it all right? The Queen Mother didn't say anything at the time. What's going on here?"

Prince Jin smiled and said: "How is it? Are you confused? Don't worry, listen to me and tell you slowly. Isn't the palace planning a wedding for the emperor now? After the emperor's wedding, the queen mother will return to power. After the queen mother returns to power What? I don’t want to live in the palace anymore, I want to find a quiet place to recuperate.” Li Hongzhang was startled, and hurriedly asked, "The Empress Dowager wants to live in Qingyi Garden?" Prince Qing nodded his head and said: "Li Shaoquan is Li Shaoquan, and I guessed it right. This time, the Queen Mother brought Prince Li and us to discuss for three days, and wanted to repair the garden. Since the garden was destroyed, Ah, the higher-ups have always wanted to repair it, but they have never done it. This garden is almost becoming a heart problem for the Empress Dowager!"

Prince Chun interjected: "Anyway, this is also the inheritance left to us by our ancestors. Just leave it like this, it hurts my heart!" Li Hongzhang nodded and said: "Yes, such a large garden will be destroyed if it is said to be destroyed! How much money was used to build it at the beginning! Cough!" After Li Hongzhang sighed, he stopped talking, because he already knew in his heart that the Empress Dowager began to think about the several million taels of coastal defense donations in the Navy Yamen.It seems that the plan to purchase the two types of armored ships and cruisers cannot be realized.

Seeing that Li Hongzhang was in a daze, Prince Qing hurriedly said, "Shaoquan, why don't you talk? Do you think this garden should be repaired or not?" Li Hongzhang thought for a while, and then suddenly asked, "You two princes, have you made an order?" Prince Jin said: "Shaoquan, what the Empress Dowager means is to communicate with you first, and then make an order. As for the money for repairing the garden, I, Prince Li, Prince Qing, and several military planes The ministers have already met and decided to temporarily advance the seven million taels of coastal defense donations in the Yamen to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Let the provinces share some of the remaining gap, and some ministers can also give some filial piety. In this way, it is estimated that it will be about the same gone."

Li Hongzhang nodded, and asked in a low voice, "How much money do you plan to spend on repairing the garden this time?" Prince Jin said: "My queen mother and I made a preliminary estimate, it will be about 10 million taels. I think, the Beiyang Navy has built so many ships, even if you don't buy new ones, it will be enough. This time we are going to Beijing, let’s settle this matter.” Prince Qing asked at this time: "Shaoquan, what do you think?" Li Hongzhang was startled, but said with a smile on his face: "It's a good thing to build a garden. After the queen mother returns to power, she can have a place to rest and rest. The emperor and the princes are also relieved! But...cough, the two princes should hurry up." Let's do it, it will be thawed as soon as we talk, so let's do it early."

After Li Hongzhang had lunch in the Yamen, he drove back to Xianliang Temple.Before returning, he planned to stop by to visit Prince Gong, but then he thought it better not to go.The Empress Dowager's suspicion of Prince Gong has not been dispelled. When he goes to Prince Gong's mansion at this time, some people will inevitably go to the Empress Dowager to make irresponsible remarks, which is not worth it. When he entered Xianliang Temple, Sheng Xuanhuai went out to do some errands and hadn't come back yet.He had someone wait on him and lay on the bed for a while, then took Luo Guanzhong's "Popular Romance of the Three Kingdoms" from his desk, wanting to review a passage he had read last night.

This time he went to Beijing to discuss affairs, the biggest gain was not the discussion, nor the repair of a garden, nor the emperor's wedding, but the "Popular Romance of the Three Kingdoms" he had in hand. Every time he read the phrase "I am happy here, I don't think about Shu", he would feel sad and angry for several days for Liu Chan, the Empress of Shu.But when he read this sentence this time, he not only didn't feel sad, but read between the lines, the way of the empress Liu Chan.Because Liu Chan can quickly adapt to his identity, the master is happy, how can a courtier be unhappy?Li Hongzhang was happy for his discovery, and he was even happy for Liu Chan.Inspired by this sentence, he decided not to say a word of objection to the Queen Mother's garden repair.

Li Hongzhang couldn't be more clear in his heart that the Queen Mother's garden repair this time is fundamentally different from the last time the garden was repaired.The reason why the garden was not completed last time was because Prince Gong, who was well versed in state affairs, stood in front of him.And this time the queen mother must be able to build a garden because there are three princes who don't understand state affairs and know how to flatter her.These three people can be said to be the foreman ministers, or they can be said to be the queen mother's own servants, anyway, it is not too much.There is another condition for the Queen Mother to build a garden this time, that is, as the emperor's father, Prince Chun, he wished that the Queen Mother would live far away from the palace after returning to power. Only in this way can he discuss politics with ease. Maybe it was Prince Chun's idea that the queen mother decided to repair the garden.Thinking of this, Li Hongzhang suddenly had another question mark: Even if the queen mother really lives in the garden after returning to power, can he, Prince Jin, become the king of politics?Can the queen mother rest assured that he is the king of politics? Li Hongzhang shook his head, and said to himself: "You bastard, you think things too simply!" He put down his book, got up and walked a few steps. At this time, an official rushed in in a panic, saluted and said, "Master Zhongtang, a bridal sedan chair has come to the palace, and you are asked to come and receive the order!" Li Hongzhang was stunned, and hurriedly changed his clothes Walk out quickly.A sedan chair was parked at the door, and two eunuchs stood on the left and right. Li Hongzhang didn't know who was sitting in the sedan chair, so he could only kneel down and said: "My minister Li Hongzhang accepts the order!" An eunuch said: "The Empress Dowager ordered that Li Hongzhang has been in Beiyang for many years and has made great achievements. He rewarded a concubine to warm his feet." Li Hongzhang just wanted to evade, but the eunuch who passed the decree did not allow him to speak, and then said: "Li Hongzhang is not allowed to evade excuses, and there is no need to enter the palace to thank you. I respect you!" Li Hongzhang was about to thank you, but another eunuch lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and said, "Miss Hong, you are home, come out." A slim young woman slowly stepped down from the sedan chair and gave a deep salute to Li Hongzhang Said: "The slave girl Xiaohong is here to serve Lord Zhongtang according to the Queen Mother's order!" Li Hongzhang had no choice but to thank the Empress Dowager for his kindness: "My minister Li Hongzhang thanked the Empress Dowager Long En!" Li Hongzhang stood up and asked someone to help Little Hong inside, and then asked someone to come out with money and give it to the two eunuchs.An eunuch put the money into his bosom, but suddenly put his mouth close to Li Hongzhang's ear, and said in a low voice, "Old Zhongtang, please be more energetic, Miss Hong is the most lovable person around the Queen Mother. When it’s okay, you always coax her a little bit, don’t be angry with her. If she really said something in front of the Queen Mother, you can’t afford it and walk away! Remember what the servant said, there is no harm !" When the eunuch left with the sedan chair for a long time, Li Hongzhang was still standing outside the door in a daze. At this time, an officer approached and said: "Master, you should go back to the room and rest, be careful of being cold. And Auntie Xiaohong, should someone clean out a room first?" Li Hongzhang woke up suddenly. He pushed the door and said, "Immediately ask someone to clean a room for Miss Hong, and let her rest first. Also, ask someone to go to the city and quickly find someone to buy two maids. Clean it up. Also, let Xingsun come to see me right away when he comes back.” The officer hurriedly ran to work. Li Hongzhang opened the door and came in, and saw Miss Xiaohong sitting on a wooden chair in the living room in a daze. Seeing Li Hongzhang coming in, she hurriedly got up and saluted, saying: "Slave maid, please greet Mr. Zhongtang." Li Hongzhang motioned for her to flatten her body, then sat down, twirled her beard for a while, and said, "Miss Hong, how old are you this year? How many years have you been in the palace?" The little red girl replied: "Go back to the middle hall, this maidservant will be eighteen in one month this year. The maidservant was sent to the palace at the age of twelve, and has lived in the palace for six years." Li Hongzhang nodded, and asked again: "Little Hong, how many years have you been with the Queen Mother?" Xiao Hong replied: "This servant has been serving the Queen Mother for two years." Li Hongzhang pondered and said: "Xiaohong, the queen mother asked you to come to this old man, are you willing? You have to tell the truth, don't wrong yourself, the old man can enter the palace for you to intercede with the queen mother." Xiaohong replied: "Back to Zhongtang, the prestige of Zhongtang was known to the servants before they entered the palace. Now the Empress Dowager has sent the servants to serve Zhongtang for the rest of their lives. What is the status of a servant, a servant is willing to serve Zhongtang for the rest of his life, as long as Zhongtang can reward the servant with a bite of food." Li Hongzhang smiled suddenly, and said, "You girl, no wonder the Queen Mother likes you, you are very good at talking. Well, as long as you don't feel wronged, you can stay with the old man. Is there anyone else in your family?" Xiaohong replied: "Back to the middle hall, there is a mother and two elder brothers in the servant's family. My father died in the war against the Nian, and now my mother and elder brother live on the court's money." "Oh?" Li Hongzhang was taken aback, and asked casually, "Miss Xiaohong, where are you from? What's your father's name?" Xiaohong replied: "Back to the middle hall, the servant is from Fengtian Shengjing Mansion, her surname is Yuwen, and her father only taboos the word Jian." When Li Hongzhang heard this, he got up abruptly and asked, "Your father is the guerrilla Yu Wenjian of the Mingzi Camp?" Xiaohong replied: "Back to Zhongtang, I heard from my mother that my father was a guerrilla when he died. Why, does Zhongtang know the father of this servant?" Li Hongzhang sat down, sighed and said: "Xiaohong, this old man and your father are more than just acquaintances! Cough! Now that I think about it, this old man is still worried. Did Yu Wenjian die at a loss? Xiaohong, this old man still doesn't understand , you are a Han Chinese, how did you get selected into the palace?" Xiaohong replied: "Back to the middle hall, the servant is indeed Han, but when she was seven years old, she was given to a local Manchu family by her mother as a maid. When the servant was twelve years old, the palace happened to choose a maid. People don't want to give up their maids, so they recognize their slaves as their daughters and send them to the palace." Li Hongzhang said in surprise: "Xiao Hong, does the Empress Dowager know what you said?" Xiaohong shook her head and said: "Back to the middle hall, not only the queen mother does not know about the life experience of the servants, but everyone in the palace also does not know. The servants know the severity, if the queen mother knows the life experience of the servants, not only the whole family will be executed , even the family of slaves will not escape their lives." Li Hongzhang nodded and said, "Xiaohong, what you just said to the old man just now, don't tell anyone else in the future. When you return to Baoding, don't tell anyone, including your wife. Did you hear clearly?" ?” Xiaohong nodded gratefully and replied: "The servants have remembered Zhongtang's words in their hearts." Li Hongzhang was about to speak when an official came in and said, "Master Zhongtang, Master Sheng is back." Li Hongzhang nodded and said, "Have you cleaned up the room for Miss Xiaohong?" The messenger replied: "Back to Zhongtang, it has been cleaned up, but the person who went to the city to buy girls has not come back." Li Hongzhang said: "You take Miss Xiaohong back to the room to rest first, and let Mr. Sheng come over by the way, the old man wants to explain something to him." The officer hurriedly bowed to Xiaohong and said, "Aunt Xiaohong, please come and have a look with the humble officer." Xiaohong hurriedly bowed to Li Hongzhang, saying: "Your maidservant will leave first." Li Hongzhang nodded.Xiaohong followed the officer and walked out steadily.Looking at Xiaohong's back, Li Hongzhang whispered: "If you don't avoid men, and your feet are not bound, who can tell the difference between Han and Man?"