Chapter 20 Chapter Seventeen

what!It's him, Master Weng. Emperor Guangxu hurriedly opened the sedan chair curtain, and Luan moved closer. He saw Master Weng's eyes brimming with tears. Suddenly, Master Weng knelt down towards Jin Luan... As soon as Emperor Guangxu returned to the Palace of Mental Cultivation, Wang Shang came to report: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has summoned you to the Summer Palace immediately." Guangxu was taken aback for a moment, and Concubine Zhen, who was helping the emperor sort out the memorial by the imperial case, also came over with inquiring eyes. "I've always been the one who went to pay my respects or Bingbao. The Queen Mother rarely summons me. Could it be something important?" Guangxu asked Concubine Zhen with blinking eyes.

Concubine Zhen said anxiously: "It must be that you are dissatisfied with the emperor's edict issued in Tiananmen Square? What action should we take?" "Whatever it is, we must go at once." "Prepare the sedan chair and go to the Summer Palace." "yes." Emperor Guangxu handed a large stack of memorials to Concubine Zhen and prepared to leave the house. Suddenly there was a muffled thunder in the sky, Concubine Zhen opened the curtains to look, and said, "Your Majesty, it's half dark in the western sky, and it's about to rain heavily. We'll leave after the rain stops."

"No, I have to arrive right away, otherwise the queen mother will have to pick a gift again." After Guangxu Emperor said, he hurried out, and Wang Shang and several eunuchs quickly followed out. Concubine Zhen watched anxiously at the door—— Poor emperor, although he is the son of heaven, he is controlled by others. This is the Qing Empire! If it was in the Western countries, would there be such an emperor? It is so unfair. Zhen'er desperately wants to help the emperor gain real power. There was another burst of thunder. Tears dripped from Concubine Zhen's surprised eyes...

Just after a rainstorm in the Summer Palace, the sky began to clear up, and the Empress Dowager Cixi and Rong Lu had a secret meeting in the Hall of Happy Shoutouts.Li Lianying, who knew about their relationship, retreated outside the house and waited. Cixi looked at Ronglu, her young lover, and her heart was surging. Indeed, he was her most loyal assistant. Whenever she was in the most danger, Ronglu always stood up and defended her faithfully. During the Xinyou coup, he was the one who protected the empress dowagers of the two palaces all the way from Rehe to Beijing, and made great contributions to the Cixi coup.Tongzhi died young, and the four-year-old Emperor Guangxu came to the throne. He knelt and wept again to beg the two palaces to listen to the government behind the curtain.During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, when the emperor and empress parties competed, he clearly supported Cixi's peace faction. Now he is the most resolute in opposing the imperial party's political change.Such a loyal courtier, not to mention the past feelings, is that the present righteousness has made Cixi more grateful, so Cixi wants to promote him heavily.Yes, who would use such a confidant if he didn't reuse it?

So the Empress Dowager Cixi said to him in a low voice: "I will also hand over the naval military power to you, and let you serve as the governor of Zhili and Beiyang minister. The official position is equal to that of Li Hongzhang, and the military power is greater than him. Now I want you Just as you protected me from Rehe to Beijing in 2009, do your best." Rong Lu knelt down towards Cixi after hearing the "plop", with tears in his eyes... God!What a high official position this is, and how important it is to give me the military power to command the three armies. I, Rong Lu, am so lucky to have met this woman in this life. Of course, I will not let her down. I love her, I love her forever...

Rong Lu knelt down, with tears in his eyes, I don't know whether it was out of gratitude or joy. Ci Xi took a step forward to support him, Rong Lu raised his head, his eyes met the old love and the new kindness came together, surging like a rolling river... After Rong Lu was lifted up, he gazed affectionately into Cixi's eyes, although many years had passed between such gazes, and swore: "Thank you for the cultivation of the Empress Dowager, and I swear to defend the Empress Dowager and the Qing Dynasty to the death." The Empress Dowager Cixi couldn't help stretching out her arms to him, and Rong Lu once again boldly embraced the woman he loved and admired most in his life...

Emperor Guangxu came to the Summer Palace in a hurry. In the courtyard of Le Shoutang, he had a face-to-face meeting with Rong Lu who had hurried out. Seeing Rong Lu's flushed face, Emperor Guangxu could only curse bitterly in his heart: "A pug dog." After entering the Hall of Leshou, Emperor Guangxu quickly knelt down and bowed down when he saw Cixi sitting in front of the imperial case. After the salute, Cixi spoke. "The emperor personally promulgated the edict at Tiananmen Square, and the whole country is jubilant." Cixi said with a fake smile. "My son just wants to revive the country's reform."

"Thought well, you have ambition, you don't care what the emperor wants to promote, now all the power is entrusted to you, the emperor can be independent." "Thank you, Father." Emperor Guangxu was about to kneel down and thank you. "Wait a minute, I announce you today, Father Huang wants you to do two things." Cixi straightened her face. "Father Emperor, please tell me." "First, expel Weng Tonghe and return to his hometown; second..." "What? Expelling Weng Tonghe is absolutely impossible. Master Weng is the teacher of two generations of emperors, and his sons have been taught by him since childhood. Besides, he is a hero of the Qing Dynasty. What crimes did he commit? Why should he be dismissed?"

"What crime has he committed? Now so many people are impeaching him, saying that he is arrogant and indulgent, that he has made friends with the party, and deceived the emperor... You can see these memorials for yourself." Cixi said, throwing a large pile of memorials on the table It was given to Emperor Guangxu. "Father Huang, this is all framed by villains, how could Father Huang listen to these things..." "Shut up, you won't listen to my words now. If this person doesn't get rid of you, don't think about any reforms. Li Lianying, waiter with pen and ink."

"yes." Li Lianying held the pen and ink in front of Emperor Guangxu. Guangxu was anxious, so he knelt down to Cixi and begged: "Please go back and think about it." "You are unwilling to do such a trivial matter, do you still take the emperor's father seriously?" Cixi said through gritted teeth. "Father Emperor, there is a vacancy for a hero. Such an important matter must be discussed at the court, otherwise how can the subjects be convinced!" Cixi said angrily: "Hero, what kind of hero is he? He instigated you to fight the Sino-Japanese War and ruined my Beiyang Navy. It's Ai's head, are you still protecting him?"

"Your Majesty, let's follow the Queen Mother's order." Li Lianying reminded Emperor Guangxu with Prince Gong's words.Emperor Guangxu glared at him bitterly. Under the power of the Empress Dowager Cixi, Emperor Guangxu had no choice but to draw up Zhu Yu for Kaique Weng Tonghe with tears in his pen. Emperor Guangxu threw away the imperial pen and retreated in pain. "Your Majesty stays, there is a second one! From now on, I must decide on all officials above the second rank. Ren Ronglu is the Governor of Zhili and the Minister of Beiyang." what!Isn't this taking my military power and appointment right? Emperor Guangxu looked up at Cixi, only to see a pair of majestic eyes staring at him. It's useless to say anything, and it's useless to beg her. In the contest between seizing power and counter-seizing power, she has definitely won the upper hand! Li Lianying brought up the pen and ink again, and Emperor Guangxu didn't say a word, he took it and swiped it quickly. After finishing the drawing, he stood aside with his head bowed without looking at it. Cixi took it and looked at it before letting him resign. When Emperor Guangxu returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, his face was gloomy, his eyes were red and swollen, and tears stained his face. Concubine Zhen was shocked when she saw this, she put down the memorial she was sorting out, and hurried over, asking anxiously, "Your Majesty, what's the matter?" What are you doing? The Empress Dowager announced." "Excuse Master Weng and return to his hometown." "Ah!..." Concubine Zhen took two steps back in shock. "Your Majesty...you agree?" "She forced me to draw up the decree. If Fu disagrees, the reform must be stopped." "It's too vicious, isn't this just to isolate the emperor!" "What should I do! Concubine Ai?" "The reform has been made public throughout the country, and it must be carried forward no matter what." Concubine Zhen said firmly, looking at Emperor Guangxu. "Yes, we can only be worthy of Master Weng if we continue to implement it. If you want to cut off my right arm to prevent me from reforming, it will be extremely difficult!" "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager thinks that if Master Weng is driven away, you will be unable to move an inch, so you must summon Kang Youwei in person. Now he is the only one who can help you reform." "Yes, to summon Kang Youwei, I want to summon him personally." It was the fifth day after Tiananmen issued the imperial edict, on April 27th in the twenty-fourth year of Guangxu (June 15th, 1898). Weng Tonghe came to the morning court as usual, but was blocked by the deacon and eunuch from the military aircraft department. "Master Weng, please stop." "What are you doing? I want to go to court." "Lord Weng, listen." A deacon came over and said, "Master Weng, please take a look, this is an imperial edict that will be announced to you soon." Weng Tonghe was very surprised, he took it and saw: Weng Tonghe, the co-organizer of the university and the Minister of the Ministry of household affairs, has not been agreed to negotiate many things recently... There are many failures, so that the public opinion is not satisfied, and people have participated in it many times.And every time I call for advice, whether it is arbitrary or not, the joy and anger can be seen in the color of words, and gradually reveals the appearance of power-grabbing madness and rebellion, and it is absolutely difficult to win the responsibility of a cardinal.He should have been investigated and dealt with severely, and punished severely. Gu Nian, who had been in Yuqing for many years, could not bear to be severely punished. "Ah!" Weng Tonghe felt like thunder, and almost fainted, but he immediately calmed down, thinking that it would be a matter of time before he was dealt with, but he didn't expect it to come so soon. This was the prelude to the Empress Dowager's military parade in Tianjin. It's an early move.I am old, the official position is no longer important, what is important is that not only reform is difficult to achieve, but also the emperor is in danger.No, I want to see the emperor, so I said: "I want to see the emperor." "Meet the emperor? This is the emperor's Zhuyu. Haven't you already read it?" Weng Tonghe recognized that it was indeed the handwritten order of Emperor Guangxu. Weng Tonghe knew in his heart that this was definitely not the original intention of Emperor Guangxu, but must be coerced by Empress Dowager Cixi.The teacher-student relationship with Emperor Guangxu for more than 20 years, I know him like I know my own son. I don't regret leaving, but the emperor's situation is too dangerous... No, I want to see him. "Let me in, I want to see the emperor." "No, Mr. Weng, please respect yourself, you should quit as soon as possible, don't let us do it." The two deacons and eunuchs said harshly. One shouted: "Go home and wait for the imperial decree!" Looking at these snobbish and cold-faced people in the Military Aircraft Department, they nodded and bowed to me yesterday, but today they are so virtuous. Weng Tonghe knew that it would be useless to ask for more, and it was not in line with his personality.Okay, I'll go, Weng Tonghe burst into tears with grief and anger, but he would never cry in front of these people, so he turned around and walked out of the palace. After leaving the palace, Weng Tonghe couldn't bear it any longer. He burst into tears, almost crying, and then staggered towards the emperor's only way to the Summer Palace. He wanted to see Emperor Guangxu. Don't worry, he has a lot to say to him.So Weng Tonghe stood tremblingly by the side of the road, looking in the direction of the palace... Emperor Guangxu was busy going to the Summer Palace to report to the Empress Dowager Cixi that he was sitting in the golden throne. Not far from the palace, he saw a white-haired old man tremblingly standing by the road he must pass, and looked at his throne. Looking around in the sedan chair, the morning breeze blows his white hair... what!It's him, Master Weng. Emperor Guangxu hurriedly lifted the curtain of the sedan chair, and Luan moved closer. He saw Master Weng's eyes brimming with tears, and suddenly Master Weng knelt down towards Jin Luan... He is kneeling farewell to me. Master Weng, forgive me, I can't even protect my most respected teacher, what kind of emperor am I, I'm also precarious... Master Weng, I have no choice... Jin Luan was getting closer to Weng Tonghe, Emperor Guangxu couldn't stop the tears from pouring out of his eyes, he really wanted to stop the sedan chair, he was going to help the respected Master Weng and explain his heart to him.But the deacon and eunuch urgently urged, and the luan sedan hurried past...the luan curtain was put down by the deacon and eunuch, and they prevented passers-by from seeing the emperor. Teacher, I can't get off the chariot, I believe you can understand me. Teacher, just wait, I will definitely call you back to Luan. Emperor Guangxu was carried away by Jin Luan in a daze. Tears flowed down his increasingly thin cheeks... When Weng Tonghe raised his head, Jin Luan had gone far away. After all, he was never able to see the emperor again, and he will never be able to see the emperor again. exactly: The emperor went away, and Weng Tonghe returned home tremblingly, and saw that his family members were having a birthday banquet for him. Although Weng Tonghe was a noble teacher of two generations of emperors, his personal life was extremely unfortunate. He lost his wife in his early years and had no children. Zeng Han, his descendants Ansun, and Desun also died one after another... Being childless was originally a great heartache for the elderly, so Weng Tonghe had neither family happiness nor husband and wife comfort in his life, and only used his emotions on the emperor wholeheartedly.Today is his sixty-fifth birthday, and his family invited his relatives and friends to celebrate this lonely old man's birthday. Looking at the sumptuous banquet, Weng Tonghe couldn't help crying. He complained desperately. He didn't want to disappoint everyone's good intentions, and he didn't want his family to know about the tragic news of returning home, so he just bowed his head. head to eat.Seeing this scene, everyone thought that Weng Tonghe was sad about the past, so they didn't make a sound, just raised their wine glasses, just as Weng Tonghe stood up holding back his tears and raised his wine glasses to everyone, he suddenly heard the attendant shout: "The imperial decree has arrived! " Hearing the imperial decree, the relatives and friends at the table were all happy, thinking that the emperor was celebrating the emperor's birthday, they all looked at Weng Tonghe happily.Of course Weng Tonghe knew what it was going to be, so with tears in his eyes, he straightened his clothes and knelt outside the hall door to receive the imperial decree. All the people attending the birthday banquet followed Weng Tonghe and knelt down in unison, all with joyful eyes... …Unexpectedly, the emissary uttered words that made people almost faint: ...Every time I call for advice, whether I can do it freely or not, my joy and anger can be seen in the words, and I gradually reveal the appearance of power-grabbing madness and rebellion.He should have been investigated and dealt with severely, and punished severely, but I thought that he had been walking in Yuqing Palace for many years, so he couldn't bear to be severely punished, so Weng Tonghe immediately returned home to show his safety. "Chen Weng Tonghe thanked the Emperor and Empress Dowager Long En." Weng Tonghe accepted the decree with tears in his eyes and trembling hands. Relatives and friends were all shocked, everyone was silent and looked at each other... After sending the envoy away, everyone cried aloud. They never expected that on Weng Tonghe's sixty-fifth birthday, he would encounter such bad luck. Weng Tonghe held back his grief and anger, wiped away his tears, and said, "Come on, everyone, please return the table. It's okay if you don't want to be an official. You always have to eat!" However, everyone was no longer interested in eating, and they all looked like deflated balls... Sitting like this, several guests have already left out of courtesy, who can bear to drink this cup of bitter wine?Only a few close friends stayed to persuade them.A sixty-fifth birthday party broke up unhappy. A relative or friend said: "Choosing Weng Lao's sixty-fifth birthday to open his vacancy is too wicked." Another said: "I don't know who around Cixi offered the poisonous plan?" "Yes, it's too wicked. Mr. Weng is not only the teacher of two generations of emperors, but also an important minister of the court. How can he open a vacancy without guilt! It's too much." "That's right! Weng Lao has no children and has devoted all his life to serving the country. Why should he be treated like this?" A family member was so excited that he knelt down to the sky. He raised his hands and asked the sky sadly: "My God! What's going on here? Who did Mr. Weng offend?" In the morning, the sky was overcast, and outside the south gate of Beijing, many people had already gathered. Their heads looked into the city, as if they were waiting to see someone off.Among them were Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Tan Sitong and other members of the Strong Society. They stood together and discussed in a low voice, all with the same dignified expression. Several carriages were driving towards the south gate of the city. Weng Tonghe, who had been deposed and returned home, was sitting in the first carriage, his family members were sitting in the rear carriages, and the last carriages were loaded with luggage. Weng Tonghe lifted the curtain of the car along the way, his thoughts were surging. He looked at the streets and alleys of the capital with nostalgia: some pedestrians on the street were leisurely and contented, and some were in a hurry; There are common people who are busy walking around in ordinary clothes; there are peddlers hawking along the street, and there are beggars in ragged clothes who are miserable... Weng Tonghe sighed: In every dynasty and generation, there are always some joys and some sorrows. Weng Tonghe thought about how complacent Ronglu and Yikuang looked after he was deposed, hum!Just wait, history will punish you. When the chariot passed by the side of the road where he was waiting to see the emperor for the last time, Weng Tong ordered the car to stop. He lifted the curtain and looked in the direction of the palace. He seemed to see the face of Emperor Guangxu tearing away at him. It was sad and regretful. With a helpless expression, Weng Tonghe will never forget this unforgettable moment. Yes, the emperor was really helpless, he was forced by others, he was indeed forced, and he did not get out of the car because of helplessness, I understand him, and because I know him so well, I also understand that he did not get out of the car. Your majesty, I'm leaving, please take care... Tears covered Weng Tonghe's eyes, he pulled down the curtain and said "go". The carriage grunted and headed towards the south gate of the city again. After leaving the south gate of the city, I suddenly heard the shout of "Master Weng, please go slowly". Weng Tonghe opened the curtain and looked out, also stunned... Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Tan Sitong and many others came to see him off. Weng Tonghe was helped out of the car. When he saw Kang Youwei and the others, he couldn't help weeping bitterly. He couldn't bear the grievances and grief of the past few days in front of his comrades... Kang Youwei supported Weng Tonghe's arms with both hands and said, "Master Weng, you have been wronged." "This is not the emperor's original intention." Weng Tonghe said with tears. "We all understand." Liang Qichao said. "Master Weng, we all complain for you." Tan Sitong said angrily. "Master Weng, you can't leave, what should the emperor do if you leave?" a young man said. "I'm leaving, you should support the emperor more, please." Weng Tonghe arched his hands to everyone. Kang Youwei choked up and said, "Master Weng, do you have anything to say to us?" Weng Tonghe said solemnly: "I have already recommended you to the emperor, and I am relieved to have you here." Weng Tonghe said to Kang Youwei again: "The emperor has great trust in you. After I leave, you can't leave him no matter what." Kang Youwei said: "Youwei will remember Master Weng's words. We have sworn to support the emperor's reform to the death." "Okay. Thank you, old man." Weng Tonghe bowed again. Weng Tonghe bowed to the ground to the other people who came to see him off. "The old man thanked all the fathers and brothers." "Master Weng, let's go." Someone in the crowd began to cry. "Master Weng, take care." "Bon trip." Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao helped Weng Tonghe into the car. The carriage departs. They waved to Weng Tonghe with tears until the carriage disappeared at the end of the road... exactly: