Chapter 12 Chapter 12

Guangxu hesitated for a moment, turned around and glanced at the eunuch, took the bowl and drank it with his neck raised.Seeing that there was no drip left in the bowl, the eunuch's knees softened, he knelt down on the ground, kowtowed like pounding garlic, and said repeatedly: "Damn it, slave...Damn it, slave..." At this season seven years ago, on the same gloomy and gloomy day, the emperors of the two palaces returned to the capital in mighty force.Then everything returned to the former scene.She was still listening to the government behind the curtain, and she was still extremely extravagant, as if she had never experienced that unforgettable disaster.If we really want to talk about changes, it is that she is getting older, and the price of a lone boat in the vast ocean of the Qing Empire under her rule is even more rickety and beyond human control.

The wind that ripped silk and ripped cloth roared all night, and when they got up in the morning, people found that there was a thin layer of dust on the desktop and window sills.Lying on the kang and staring at the slightly dewy sky, Yuan Shikai remained motionless for a long time.Today, he is already the Minister of Military Aircraft of the Qing Dynasty.Perhaps in the eyes of others, it is a great honor to be able to enter the cabinet to pay homage to the prime minister.But deep down in his heart, he was shrouded in a deep sense of loss.He didn't want to be this nameless military plane, he longed for supreme power, longed for... A gust of gust of wind wrapped in sand and dust hit the window paper, rustling, and Yuan Shikai couldn't help shivering.

"Master, sir." Hearing the voice of the servants outside, Yuan Shikai glanced at the corner of the room and the bell rang: "Understood, let's go down." "My lord, there is news from the palace that another accident happened in Tianjin." "What?" Yuan Shikai was stunned for a moment, then as if drunk, he sat up straight with excitement, put on his little coat, coughed majestically and hurried out of the room, "I didn't say what happened? " "It is said that a Russian warship sailed past my Dagu port last night." "Understood, order to prepare the sedan chair!"

He rushed to Xihua Gate in a green wool official sedan chair, and when he came out to look, the sky was already bright, but the clouds above his head were heavily overcast, and there seemed to be signs of a change in the sky.Five or six sedan chairs, large and small, had already parked outside the Xihua Gate, and several officials were whispering at the door, watching him come, hurriedly clapping their hands to say goodbye.Yuan Shikai didn't even look at it, he just waved his hand lightly and passed the sign directly into the hall. After rushing to the gate of Qianqing, he took out his pocket watch to have a look. Yuan Shikai hesitated for a moment, and went straight to the military computer room.Entering the room, I saw Yikuang, Prince Qing, and Zaifeng, Prince Jin sitting on both sides of the table in the middle.Zhou Zashixu, Zhang Zhidong, and Lu Chuanlin also had serious expressions on their faces. "I have seen the two princes in my humble position." Yuan Shikai coughed twice in a daze, and a thousand son hit the ground, said with a smile on his face, turned around and greeted everyone one by one.

"Yes." A smile flashed across Yikuang's face, and he nodded lightly, "I don't have any soldiers on the front line of Dagukou in the capital. If Russia really tries to do something, the consequences will be unimaginable. I mean, this matter is still a matter of course." It is advisable to negotiate as soon as possible." He paused intentionally or unintentionally, "If Li Hongzhang is still here, he must be the one to do this matter. But now this—— Boxuan, how did you think about this matter? Tell me about it. " "That's what I mean by humble position. I'm afraid it's useless for other people to go, after all, they are not the ones who make up their minds." Shixu coughed twice and opened his mouth, "Now the two princes are the only ones who are enough. Your prince is the prime minister's center." , big and small matters all depend on hard work, so it’s inconvenient for me to leave lightly——” He sighed a long time as he spoke.

Zhang Zhidong was dressed in a brand-new crane patch, with emerald feathers behind the coral top, as if he had just had a drink, his face was shining brightly, he cupped his hands and said, "My lord, this matter—" "I know what you mean." Yikuang rolled his eyes as if a layer of ice had formed on his face, and waved his hands impatiently, "Weiting, what about you? What do you mean?" "Brother Boxuan said it is true. The last time we negotiated with Japan, wasn't it because they thought that the people in our group were lowly and powerful, so they named Li Hongzhang?" Yuan Shikai took two steps leisurely, and bowed in front of Prince Jin Zaifeng After hitting a thousand children, he said, "My lord, do you think this is a good thing?"

"This—" Zaifeng knew what he meant, but he was only appointed as the first-class special envoy to Germany in 1901. He apologized and apologized for the killing of the German minister Klind in Beijing during the Boxer Movement. He fought with an outsider once. How do you know how to negotiate with outsiders?At the moment, his lips are moving, not knowing what to say.Seeing this, Zhang Zhidong stroked his beard and couldn't help but said, "Where has the prince ever been involved in barbarian affairs, and he can succeed there? Brother Runwan, do you think so?" "I'm not in a hurry, I'll just see you go up later." Hearing Zhang Zhidong's words, Lu Chuanlin stared straight at the direction of Longzongmen, and said with a half-smile, and the surroundings recovered for a while The former silence.I don't know how long it took, Li Lianying came out from the Longzong's gate with trembling footsteps: "Lafayette Yizhi: Yikuang, Zaifeng and other military ministers enter the palace to meet you!"

"Hey!" The Empress Dowager Cixi was lying on the big kang with a bright yellow ribbon on her head and clothes, and the incense was wafting from the underground incense burner. It was so quiet that one could hear a needle drop.Everyone tiptoed in, their lips moved to say hello, but they dared not speak. They quietly looked at the Empress Dowager Cixi, who became pitifully thinner, with the wrinkles carved on her face motionless, as if she was silently telling people about her life. "Lafayette." Li Lianying stepped forward and called softly. Seeing that the Empress Dowager Cixi didn't respond at all, she hesitated and took a small step forward, and said cautiously, "Lafayette, the two princes Qing and Chun are here to see you. I have already greeted you." "Yes." The Empress Dowager Cixi moved her body, opened her eyes and glanced at the crowd, and said after a long while, "Get up, please sit down and enjoy tea." Everyone got up slowly, Slanted and sat down.Shixu swallowed his saliva and said: "I haven't seen Lafayette for a few days, I don't want to be haggard like this, really..." As he spoke, his eyes turned red, and two old tears flowed from the corners of his eyes, "Really It's not a pleasure to be watched by the servants. Is this—"

"Lianying, help me up." "Lafayette, you are weak, you should lie down." "Forget it, anyway, this is the time, help me up!" "Hey." Empress Dowager Cixi's tone was very light, like a stream of autumn water, making it hard to fathom.Yikuang felt empty in his heart when he heard it, his ears were buzzing, and he glanced suspiciously at Empress Dowager Cixi, seeing that she was still looking at him with an inexplicable look, he hurriedly lowered his head and coughed twice, Said: "Report to Lafayette, Zhang Renjun, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, played electronically. Hurricanes in Guangzhou, Zhaoqing and other places caused disasters. I ask the imperial court for relief." He took a cup and sipped the ginseng soup and swallowed it, as if he was gathering strength. After a long while, Empress Dowager Cixi came back He opened his mouth: "Nowadays the revolutionaries in the south are making trouble. This matter must not be underestimated. In the future, those who should allocate money and food should be allocated. Zaifeng, this matter will be supervised by you in the future."

"Hey." An understatement of a word, only heard in Yikuang's ears, but it was as if a whip was whipped against his heart, and the whole hall was dead silent!The strong wind blew the paper on the windows, and at some point, snowflakes flew all over the sky.The Empress Dowager Cixi looked at the snowflakes dancing in the courtyard outside the window without moving, and said for a long time, "If there is anything else, let's talk." "Back to Lafayette, a call from Tianjin." Yikuang thought about what the Empress Dowager Cixi said first, and hurriedly recovered after hearing the voice, "The Russian warship suddenly arrived outside my Dagu mouth last night."

"What's the matter again?!" The Empress Dowager Cixi glanced at Yikuang with gloomy eyes, and her already pale face became even darker. "It didn't say in the telegram." Yikuang looked down at the crowd, "But the servant has already asked me to ask." Empress Dowager Cixi vented her depression in her chest and let out a long sigh: "What do you mean?" "Lafayette, what the slaves mean, this... don't care why he came here, the most important thing is to send someone over and send him away. After a long time, I'm afraid something will happen to him if nothing happens." Yi Biting his lip with his tiny white teeth, he pondered for a while, then leaned forward and said. "Are you wondering who is suitable for the past?" "Tsarist Russia is cunning." Seeing Empress Dowager Cixi looking at him, Lu Chuanlin murmured at this moment and said, "Lord Qing has been in charge of the General Administration for many years, and his experience is beyond the reach of others. One, it is safer for Prince Qing to come forward in person. I wonder what Lafayette thinks?" "Although Prince Qing has been in business for many years, he is very experienced. He is old and in charge of court affairs, how can he leave easily?" Yuan Shikai interrupted with a light cough before the Empress Dowager Cixi could say anything. Empress Dowager Cixi was noncommittal, frowned slightly and stared at the snowy sky outside the window.Li Lianying's eyes jumped, and she glanced at Lu Chuanlin coldly, and said: "Mr. Xiang doesn't even think about it, it will take at least ten days to go to Tianjin, and there are so many things going in and out every day, who will take care of it?" Could it be possible that Lafayette should bear the burden?" Lu Chuanlin seemed to have been shocked by the electric shock, his whole body trembled, and when his lips moved to speak, Li Lianying turned to face Empress Dowager Cixi and continued, "Lafayette's body will never change again. You can't work hard, my servant sees—" The Empress Dowager Cixi seemed a little dull, she smiled strangely, and said, "According to you, I can't do it anymore, right? Then who should take care of this big and small things from now on, huh?" "This... This is naturally Lafayette's decision." Li Lianying's brows trembled uncomfortably, "Heaven and earth conscience, this slave will never dare to have any evil thoughts. Lafayette—" "Enough!" Without waiting for his voice Landing on the ground, Empress Dowager Cixi gave a cold smile.Without Li Lianying's help, she sat up straight, glanced at everyone with an inexplicable look, and said with a half-smile, "I thought I was going to die soon, and there was nothing to see. I don't want you to come out for a while. When it comes out, it's wonderful! It's really exciting!" "Lafayette—" Li Lianying's body trembled, and her face turned pale. "How about you?!" Empress Dowager Cixi's pale face was gradually flushed, her cold eyes were like ghost lights flickering in the dark night, she gritted her teeth, "Forget me blind, I chose you by my side!" She said, " "Snap" to hit the case. "Look, I don't have much time to breathe, do you?! Intrigue, cheating, who can hide the things you do?! Don't say that I haven't died yet, so let me go, and you don't even want to get away with it! "As she spoke, she coughed violently twice, and Li Lianying hurriedly stepped forward to beat her back gently. "Get lost! I don't need your attention!" "Lafayette," Prince Jin Zaifeng stood up hesitantly and comforted in a soft voice, "The fire hurts the liver, you can't be angry—listen to the words of the servant, will it work?" "Lafayette? They are probably expecting me to go early!" The Empress Dowager Cixi burst into a burst of piercing laughter, "Lu Chuanlin, you draw up an order. Prince Qing Yikuang, Minister of Military Aircraft Yuan Shikai are greedy for personal gain, harming the country, and alienating the country. Yu Shishi—" As she spoke, the Empress Dowager Cixi closed her mouth, as if she was pondering something, and then raised her hand, "Forget it, for the sake of years of hard work, let's forget it." "Lafayette—" Yikuang's lips moved as if he wanted to thank him, but the Empress Dowager Cixi jumped through her teeth and said, "Kneel down!" "Hey——" Outside the window, the confetti-like snowflakes have turned into heavy snow, and a thick layer of snow has accumulated on the glazed tiles of the palace in the distance and the backs of the bronze horses and cranes in the courtyard, creating a scene covered in silver.Silence, deathlike silence, the golden chiming bell in the corner of the room rustled as if it could not bear the loneliness, as if awakened from a dream, the Empress Dowager Cixi trembled, looked at the bewildered Zaifeng people, and the corners of her mouth flicked After a slight smile, he opened his mouth and said: "At night, the slaves from the Imperial Hospital came to check my pulse. I'm afraid it will only take a few days." Can't help shivering: "Lafayette is auspicious, and nothing will happen." "Okay, don't say anything good. I can't understand myself?" The Empress Dowager Cixi smiled lightly, "Death and life are fate, that's all." While speaking, her expression suddenly became serious, "The emperor has never had an heir. , These days, my health is getting weaker and weaker. I was thinking that I should establish a prince early, so as not to cause another accident after I go. In that case, I will really have no face to see my ancestors." Xu Shi said too hastily, She coughed twice violently.Seeing Li Lianying in a daze, Zaifeng hesitantly stepped forward to pour a cup of milk and offered it.The hot tits were eaten, and the Empress Dowager Cixi continued, "I have thought about it for the past few days, and I think Puyi is more suitable. What do you think?" "Lafayette Shengming." "Lafayette, this...slave..." As if he didn't expect that a pie from the sky would hit him on the head, Zaifeng remained motionless like a muddy tire, after a while he came back to his senses, his lips moved to speak, but he could only complete a sentence I can't tell.The Empress Dowager Cixi slightly raised her hand: "Lu Chuanlin, please draw up an order." "Hey." "Puyi, the son of Zaifeng, Prince Zhuchun, was educated in the palace, and Zaifeng supervised the country as the regent. Empress Yehenala was honored as the empress dowager." Empress Dowager Cixi paused, looking at Lu Chuanlin and Zhang Zhidong, " You two are mature and prudent, and you are quite familiar with court affairs, so you should do your best to assist you in the future." "Slaves would like to obey the instructions of kindness." Zaifeng was full of surprise, joy, and fear, he was tossing up and down and couldn't calm down. He took a step forward, knelt down, kowtowed and said: "How can I be a slave, dare to be so kind to Lafayette—" "That's all. I still have Talk." The Empress Dowager Cixi glanced at Li Lianying, who was still in a daze, "This slave has been in the palace for fifty years. Little, you only serve me for such a long time, there is no credit but hard work. After I go, you can save his life. If he is tolerated, let him stay in the palace; if not, let him go out of the palace. "As if talking too much, the Empress Dowager Cixi's face was flushed, and her forehead was covered with dense sweat, she raised her hand to signal everyone to back down and stop talking. "Slave, thank you, Lafayette... Thank you, Lafayette." Li Lianying seemed to have recovered from the sound of footsteps from the crowd, and she knelt down on the ground with her feet limp, crying. "Okay, I can protect you for a while, but I can't protect you forever. In the future, you can do it yourself." The Empress Dowager Cixi took a long breath, "How is the emperor now?" "Go back to Lafayette, the servants have passed away early, and the imperial doctors said that time is running out." "Go and see him off, lest he suffer." "Hey——" Pass through Xiangluan Pavilion and pass through Hanyuan Gate, which is the south-facing Hanyuan Hall.This is the main hall of Yingtai, which is the main activity place for the Qing royal family to play and entertain in Yingtai.During the Kangxi and Qianlong periods, it was also the place where the royal family entertained princes, clansmen, ministers and dignitaries. The monarchs and ministers hosted banquets and wrote poems here. How lively it was!However, since Guangxu came here, the lively scene of the past has gone forever. Xu Shi panicked because of the boredom in the sedan chair, and as soon as he passed the Hanyuan Gate, Empress Jingfen lifted her foot and stomped on the bottom of the sedan chair: "Stop it." "Mistress, there is still a long way to go." "I know. You all stay here." Jing Fen stepped out of the sedan chair, a gust of wind and snowflakes hit her face, she shrank involuntarily, while the servants behind her hurriedly took the robe from the sedan chair and put it on her shoulders .There was a vast expanse of whiteness all around, and the snowflakes fluttered all over the sky and fell gently on the ground, as if they were telling people something.The bright yellow couplets under the eaves are particularly bright against the white snow: The windows are idle during the daytime, the curtains are quiet at night in the chess villa by the bamboo border, and the music of the piano outside the flowers Yes, it's a good place to kill time and have fun.It is "quiet", it is "idle", can he, who lives here alone, be able to relax and be quiet?Jingfen let out the depression in her chest, took a long breath, and walked forward. Push the door of the hall and enter, and there will be no ghosts in the huge hall.Jingfen's lips moved as if she wanted to speak, but she hesitated for a while and stopped.After pondering for a moment, she stepped into the inner room, the door was ajar, she pushed in lightly, a sudden gust of wind hit her, and she trembled violently like a fallen leaf in the autumn wind.The inner room is not big, and a bed takes up half of the space. Although it's winter, there is still an old curtain hanging abruptly on it, and there is nothing else.The yellowed window paper was already in tatters, and the cold wind poured directly into the house through the window.Seeing all this, Jingfen's heart was cut like a knife. "Come on!" Jingfen couldn't hold back the anger in her heart anymore, she raised her face and shouted. "Slave pays respects to Mistress Mistress." A eunuch shrank his head and rubbed his hands together as if emerging from the ground. Seeing that it was the Empress, he was stunned and hurriedly knelt down on the ground, "I don't know Mistress Mistress is here, slave——" "Where's your master?!" The eunuch Xu was too afraid to say anything, so he only raised his finger to the east corner.Following his fingers, Jingfen found a man with disheveled hair sitting on a wooden bench in the corner!The man was barefoot in the cold weather, and he was dressed in a worn bright yellow thin coat all over his body. His head was drooping, as if he had fallen asleep! "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!" Jingfen's eyes were already full of tears, and she couldn't hold back the tears that flowed out like a spring, "You dog, help the Emperor to the bed!" Helping Guangxu onto the bed by herself, taking the quilt from the eunuch and gently covering Guangxu, Jingfen looked at the eunuch in a blink of an eye, "Is this how you serve the emperor? Huh?!" "Master Mingjian, the slave really can't do anything about it." "You—" Jingfen took a long breath, "You go over and tell Lafayette that it's cold, I mean the emperor—" "No—" Guangxu slowly opened his eyes, The disease and the situation were like two chisels, deeply engraving the traces of the ruthless years on his originally handsome and handsome face, and the gray hair all over his head looked a little messy due to negligence in combing, "No, there is no need for this." "Your Majesty, you...you are awake..." "Help me up. I haven't combed my hair for a long time, please help me comb it." After a bowl of hot ginseng soup, Guangxu seemed to have regained some strength, and his face was slightly flushed . "I had a dream last night, I dreamed of Concubine Zhen." There was a smile on the corner of his mouth, staring at the snowflakes flying outside the window, "I'm afraid I will go over there to accompany her." Jingfen's tears were still streaming down like threads: "Your Majesty, don't...don't say that. The concubine has already asked the imperial physician, and they said that the emperor just got a cold occasionally, and it will be fine after a while...it's all right." "You don't need to comfort me." Guangxu smiled faintly, "I entrusted you with something. After I left, you buried Concubine Zhen with me. I would like to accompany her every day." Looking at her husband whom she loves so much but who puts all her heart on Concubine Zhen, Jingfen seemed to hesitate, and finally nodded slightly. "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..." "What are you arguing about?!" Jing Fen squinted at the slave who rushed in, "Scared the holy car and be careful--" "The slave is in a hurry, please forgive me, master." The slave said and bowed to Guangxu and said blessings, " A message came from the palace, asking the master to return to the palace immediately." "What's up?" "My servant congratulates my master and empress." As the servant spoke, she said a blessing to Jingfen, "I have heard rumors that Lafayette has issued a decree, and once she returns to the West, she will—" While speaking, she lowered her voice He raised his voice, "I respect you, my lord, as the Empress Dowager." "Is this true?" Guangxu's cheek muscles twitched, and a knowing smile flashed across the corner of his mouth. In any case, time was still fair to him.Jingfen was stunned for a moment: "If you dare to talk nonsense again, see if I don't tear your mouth apart." "The servant dare not. This is what the slave said. He also said that the Lafayette ordered that he would take Puyi, the son of Prince Chun, into the palace for education, and Prince Chun would be the regent of the country." "This——" Jingfen hesitated for a while, looked at Guangxu and said, "Tell that servant, Lord Long Live is not feeling well right now, and I will be there in a while." Seemingly eager to know whether all this is true or not, Jingfen said When Fang landed on the ground, Guangxu said, "I'm fine. You can go there quickly." "Your majesty, my concubine—" "Don't worry, I'll be fine for a while." "This—the emperor rests first, and the matter with the concubine is over, and I will come back immediately." As if she had made a lot of determination, Jingfen hesitated, got up and said a blessing, and reluctantly left the palace gate. The previous silence was restored in the surroundings, Guangxu lay quietly on the bed, his face was full of smiles, and his heart was ups and downs.He is excited, he is excited, although he will not be alive soon, but he feels no complaints and no regrets!As if unable to bear the heat in his heart, Guangxu got up and got out of bed, and walked to the window to stare at the snowflakes flying all over the sky, as if he wanted to see through the white scene and the thick palace walls. It was like in the majestic palace, motionless for a long time. "Long Live Lord." The eunuch came in holding the bowl, as if afraid of waking up the sleeping baby, stepped forward and whispered, "It's time to take the medicine." "Yeah." Guangxu shook his body, "Let's put it there." "Long live, if this medicine is cold, then—" Guangxu hesitated for a moment, turned around and glanced at the eunuch, took the bowl and drank it with his neck raised.Seeing that there was no drip left in the bowl, the eunuch's knees softened, he knelt down on the ground, kowtowed like pounding garlic, and said repeatedly: "Damn it, slave...Damn it, slave..." "you--" "This... this slave can't do anything..." Bursts of pain in the abdomen began to hit the whole body faintly, Guangxu's body trembled like a dead leaf in the autumn wind: "You...you go." Hands pressed the painful abdomen, feet seemed to be filled with lead Pan staggered to the front of the bed, lay on his back on the warm bed, let the bead of sweat drip down his cheeks, and remained motionless.Scenes from the past flashed before my eyes one by one... At this time, the air began to freeze, and the snow outside the window was much thicker than before. A few dead leaves lingering on the branches swayed and flew down from the treetops as if they were overwhelmed, but they landed silently... … "Long Live is dead—" "Long Live is dead—" Heartbreaking voices echoed in the surroundings for a long time...