Chapter 100 Section 100 Seventy-seven-year-old rising again

At the same time that the Empress Dowager Cixi issued the edict calling on the empress dowager to train the government, she ordered the arrest and killing of six people including Tan Sitong, Lin Xu, Yang Rui, Yang Shenxiu, Liu Guangdi, and Kang Guangren. Dozens of people, including Biao and Huang Zunxian, issued an decree at the same time to announce that all the New Deals would be abolished except that the Imperial University Hall could still be preserved. Faced with Cixi's will to hunt down the remnants of the Kangliang Party, Li Hongzhang secretly said: "I will never be a swordsman."Not long after, the minister of military affairs co-organized by the Minister of the Ministry of War, Gang Yi, the minister of military affairs, and the former minister of military affairs, Weng Tonghe, who severely impeached Hugh and returned to his hometown, said that he had tried to protect health and promise, but he was really fatuous and could not be ignored.

The Empress Dowager Cixi then issued another decree, declaring that Weng Tonghe would be dismissed immediately, never to be employed, and handed over to the local officials for strict control. Gradually, the Qing Dynasty became the Qing Dynasty in the past. What people did before, they still do now. In October of the twenty-fifth year of Guangxu (November 1899 AD), Li Hongzhang was seventy-seven years old and was still unemployed.Although he had been taking leave since he surveyed the Yellow River in November last year. On this day, he said to Zhao Lian and Xiaohong: "The 'play' is over, everyone who should be killed has been killed, everyone who should have run away has been run away, and everyone who should have been dismissed has been dismissed. Prince Gong is not here anymore. This time, it's really time to retire and return home!"

Zhao Lian nodded and said: "The concubine also feels that the imperial court should let you rest." Li Hongzhang couldn't tell if it was the first time that Zhang Peilun had asked Zhang Peilun to write a memorial for his kindness that night, and he must give it this time. After the booklet was handed in, Li Hongzhang began to arrange for his servants to pack their luggage, hoping that when the imperial decree arrived at the mansion, they would be able to go on the road as scheduled, so as not to be in a hurry, but there was no movement from the court. Li Hongzhang thought for a long time, but still couldn't come up with a solution, so he had to pass Zhang Peilun into the study, and ordered him to prepare a note to ask for a break.Zhang Peilun was extremely talented, and he was already familiar with this kind of writing. He didn't need Li Hongzhang to say anything.

After Li Hongzhang heard him read it, he ordered it to be transcribed, and he planned to hand it in the next morning; the imperial decree came down at this time. The decree said: "Li Hongzhang has a long history of diplomacy and has made outstanding contributions. He is the Minister of Commerce of the Imperial Envoy. He will set off recently to investigate business in various trading ports. This is your honor." Li Hongzhang took over the task, and said to his wife Zhao Lian and concubine Xiaohong that night with a bitter face: "Why doesn't the queen mother let me go! There is no place for me in the capital! I have done enough, but I haven't lived enough." what!"

Li Hongzhang handed in his resignation as usual, while thinking hard about the solution.As usual, resignation is not allowed, but he is allowed to calmly set off on errands. Li Hongzhang couldn't think of a good plan, so he went to Prince Qing's mansion to meet Prince Qing that night, and wanted to ask Prince Qing for advice.Prince Qing quietly said to Li Hongzhang: "Some people don't want to rest, but the court will order them to rest. If you, Li Shaoquan, want to rest, the Queen Mother can't just allow it. Why? You are a scholar of the Wenhua Palace, and you have three-eyed feathers. , The Empress Dowager wants you to set an example for all officials!"

Li Hongzhang said with a wry smile: "My lord, I am seventy-seven years old. My hands are trembling and I am out of breath. Once I kneel down on these two legs, I can't stand up without help! If I am ten years younger, I can't do this." I don’t know how to flatter you. My lord, no matter what you do, you have to find an opportunity to tell the queen mother, let go of the official and return to the south. Artemisia is growing on the grave of your parents!” Prince Qing said with a smile: "Shaoquan, you should give up the thought of taking a break. Tan Wenqing is seventy-eight this year, and he is still a foreign official. The Queen Mother only allowed him to give up. How does his grace compare with yours, Li Shaoquan? ? Don’t say you were just seventy-seven, even ninety-seven, the queen mother will not let you go back to your hometown. You, you’d better go back and start to investigate business early, don’t think about it.”

When Li Hongzhang returned to the mansion that night, he only drank a bowl of bird's nest porridge and asked Xiao Hong to wait on him and lie down.Seeing that Li Hongzhang was out of mood, Xiaohong couldn't help asking in a low voice: "My lord, what does the lord say? You still have to take this trip?" Li Hongzhang didn't reply when he heard this, but a sentence came out of his mouth softly: "The Empress Dowager allowed Tan Zhonglin and Tan Wenqing, Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, to retire! Tan Wenqing is one year older than this old man!" Xiaohong was baffled by what she heard, but she didn't dare to ask further questions.

After dinner the next day, Li Hongzhang suddenly sent someone to prepare a sedan chair, and wanted to go into the garden to meet the Queen Mother. Li Hongzhang is exempt from leading the introduction of officials, which is more convenient than other officials.After the ceremony, the Empress Dowager Cixi asked slowly: "Li Hongzhang, it's so late, what's the matter with you coming into the garden? Say what you want, I don't blame you." Li Hongzhang replied: "I'm reporting to the Queen Mother. I heard that Tan Zhonglin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, has sent a message. Suddenly, I have a few words to say to the Queen Mother."

Empress Dowager Cixi said: "Tan Zhonglin is in trouble. He is getting old and confused. If we don't let him in, there will be troubles in Guangdong and Guangxi." Li Hongzhang replied: "Back to the Queen Mother, what the Queen Mother said is very true. The minister came here overnight to tell the Queen Mother that Guangdong and Guangxi are the southern gates of our Qing Dynasty, and the relationship is very important. If there is no mature person to guard, There is bound to be trouble. The situation in the Qing Dynasty is just right, so I can't be careless anymore! Guangzhou is an important place for trade, and foreigners come in and out every day. If there is a little carelessness, there will be negotiations. The ministers are incoherent, and they can say whatever comes to mind. I hope the Queen Mother will forgive me Sin. If the Queen Mother has no other orders, I will leave here."

Empress Dowager Cixi suddenly said: "Li Hongzhang, I think you are in good health, why do you always want to rest?" Li Hongzhang replied: "Back to the Empress Dowager, although I am old, I am still not confused. I begged to retire and return home because I don't want to eat a vegetarian meal, but also want to do a few practical things for the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager has worked so hard for the Qing Dynasty for so many years. I haven't said a single word of 'bitterness' yet, but I'm ashamed to eat my salary without money!" As he was talking, he suddenly knelt down on both knees, kowtowed and said, "I hope the Empress Dowager can understand how loyal I am!"

The Empress Dowager Cixi hurriedly said: "Li Hongzhang, get up quickly. I know what you said in my heart. The things you have done for the Qing Dynasty in these years will never be forgotten by the court, and I will remember them all." Li Hongzhang returned to the mansion and waited for more than ten days, but still did not receive the imperial edict.In desperation, he had no choice but to rush to the Zongli Yamen in a sedan chair and discuss with Prince Qing about leaving to inspect the treaty ports. Prince Qing said thoughtfully, "Shaoquan, don't rush to leave. Something went wrong in Guangdong and Guangxi. Didn't Tan Wenqing stop? The superiors originally planned to let Wang Wenshao go. But today, the superiors passed down In other words, Wang Wenshao is old and not familiar with the principles of negotiation, so he asked the Military Aircraft Department to re-select someone. Shaoquan, who do you think is suitable for Guangdong and Guangxi?" Li Hongzhang hurriedly said: "How dare the officials talk nonsense about such important military and state affairs. However, the officials think that Guangdong and Guangxi are extraordinary, and they belong to our Qing Dynasty. If you don't let a mature and prudent person go, I'm afraid the superiors will not agree. .” Li Hongzhang happily returned to the mansion that day, secretly ordered the housekeeper to order his servants to pack up quickly, and ordered Zhang Peilun to secretly find a broker, trying to sell the house in the shortest possible time. Zhao Lian said in surprise: "My lord, seeing your happy face, could it be that your superiors have allowed you to rest?" Li Hongzhang smiled and waved his hands. Xiao Hong whispered: "Master, if this servant guesses correctly, the superior will let you be a foreigner! Isn't it?" Li Hongzhang smiled mysteriously and said: "The imperial decree has not yet come down, so I can't tell. But no matter what, I am determined not to live in the capital any longer!" The imperial decree came down that night, ordering Li Hongzhang to go to Guangzhou to act as the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi first without inspecting business.Li Hongzhang smiled after receiving the order.After only two years of silence in the capital, at the age of seventy-seven, he was awarded the post of governor again, rose again, and once again became the focus of discussion among officials and people in the Qing Dynasty.After the training, Li Hongzhang quickly left Beijing with his family and went south. On the second day after Li Hongzhang arrived in Guangzhou, he paid homage to India, as if he had returned to the past.Two months later, when Emperor Guangxu was in his thirtieth birthday, he rewarded Li Hongzhang for wearing Fanglong mend clothes. Li Hongzhang's mood began to become more and more cheerful, and his face was full of joy all day long; Zhao Lian's condition also began to improve under the influence of it, and soon left the bed where he had been together for several years, and was able to do housework. At this time, the Boxer Regiment with the slogan "Helping the Qing Dynasty and Exterminating the Foreign Countries" began to rise. By March of the 26th year of Guangxu (AD 1900), it had spread from Shandong to all parts of the country, especially in Beijing and Tianjin. There are more than 800 altars in the city of Beijing alone, and altars are also set up in the mansions of many princes and Baylor. The Boxers were first called Boxers in the Boxer Regiment, and they arose in the Shandong area, and later spread to Zhili, and their momentum was not very great. Boxers practice boxing and stick as the main form of activity. Some also hold amulets, chant mantras and possess spirits. The participants are mainly farmers, handicraftsmen and other working people, jobless people. The basic units are altar, mandala and Boxing factories, based on a certain town or natural village, each form an independent boxing unit.Each altar is set up with names such as teacher, senior brother, and second senior brother, who preside over boxing training, commanding battles and managing daily affairs.After entering Beijing and Tianjin, the boxers were collectively called Yihe Boxing, and later renamed Yihe Tuan.After the Boxers put forward the slogan of "helping the Qing Dynasty and destroying the foreigners", more people were attracted to participate, and the momentum became huge. There were many uprisings and regiments besieging churches, burning churches, and killing churchgoers in the Shandong area soon.Seeing that the Boxers were passionate and their momentum was getting bigger and bigger, and they put forward the slogan of "supporting the Qing Dynasty and destroying the foreigners", all the foreigners in China immediately became nervous. In April of that year, the ministers of Britain, France, the United States, Germany and other countries jointly sent a note to the Prime Minister's Office, ordering that the massive Boxer Regiment be "suppressed and wiped out" in a short period of time. Afterwards, the governments of various countries began to send troops in succession in the name of "protecting embassies". Enter Beijing and Tianjin to garrison.However, the Zongli Yamen did not express its attitude to the ministers of various countries, because the imperial meeting had not yet made a decision, and the Empress Dowager Cixi had not yet made a final decision.She is waiting for the memorial of Shandong governor Yuxian. Yuxian, styled Zuochen, was born in Jiansheng, and the House of Internal Affairs was in charge of the Yellow Banner Han Army.Tongzhi Nazi is the prefect of Shandong.In the 14th year of Guangxu (AD 1888), it was assigned to Caozhou, and Xuanshi granted it.Tired moved to inspect the envoy, and the right to make the political envoy.In the twenty-fourth year of Guangxu (AD 1898), he was transferred to Hunan and appointed General Jiangning.At the beginning of the 25th year of Guangxu (AD 1899), a Daohui was established in Shandong and besieged the German church. Many members of the church were killed and two priests of the church died.Governor Li Bingheng was dismissed for this and ordered Yuxian to replace him.When Yuxian took office, the Daohui was renamed Yihequan, and put forward the slogan of "helping the Qing Dynasty and destroying the foreigners".When Yuxian heard about it, he said: "God and man are angry together, and foreigners will be destroyed." Because he thought its name was indecent, he changed its name to "Yihetuan" and allowed to build banners, all of which were signed with the word "Yu". Why did Yuxian do this?It is also extremely simple to say, he wants to use the power of the Boxers to exterminate the foreigners in China.Yuxian's memorial finally arrived in Beijing. Yuxian wrote in the middle of the compromise: "Since thinking about the disharmony among the people and religions in the Eastern Province, it is true that recently the church has accepted the believers, regardless of the good and the bad, and the traitors have mixed into the church, that is, they rely on the church as a talisman. Neighbors are always looking for revenge when they are suspected of being jealous. They often make rumors and fall, or say that someone will correct the crowd to disturb the church, or that someone is a bandit with a sword. The priest does not know the truth, so he issues orders The local officials blamed them, and the local officials arrested and punished them according to the order, so the people refused to accept it. After a long time of grudges, the hatred and quarrels deepened. Foreign bandits took advantage of the organization to instigate them in the name of complaining and revenge. There are no boxers who are seduced, but there are boxers who never ask questions, and it is impossible to frame the boxers in the name of troublesome teaching." Zhezi also said: "In recent years, the Eastern Province has dealt with foreign affairs negotiations, and most of them have settled down. Every time they received a letter from the other tribe, they mostly flattered the priests and followed their wishes. As the tribe made progress, its arrogance became more and more arrogant, and it was easy to coerce the church people. It was said that it abused the church people. The slaves considered the situation and accommodated the small things in order to take care of the overall situation. When encountering people from other tribes who come to accuse them, they must be investigated first by the local officials before they can be dealt with. Fucha Eastern Province has strong folk customs, especially thick folk customs. At this time of hardship and urgency, it is necessary to consolidate the hearts of the people. The people are fortunate to know the righteousness of their relatives, and the more they see the court's benevolence and generosity, they are more moved." While Yuxian's zhezi was still on the way, the Boxers in Shandong had already been used by the governor's office.They chanted the slogan of "support the Qing Dynasty and destroy the foreigners", held a large banner embroidered with the word "Yu" in their hands, surrounded the church, and killed foreigners.