Chapter 69 Section 68

According to the usual practice, when the Empress Dowager Cixi returns from the Summer Palace, she always takes a boat to the Guangyuan gate outside Xizhimen, and then transfers to Luanyu to return to the palace. The day before his departure, he specially warned: the emperor might as well go first, instead of taking a boat to accompany him.The purpose is that the emperor can save labor, and it is also a kind of compassionate virtue. After disembarking from the boat in front of Paiyun Hall, Empress Dowager Cixi looked back at Longevity Hill reluctantly, and suddenly said: "The emperor is seriously ill. I'm afraid we won't be able to come here for a while when we go back!"

Standing beside her was Concubine Jin on the one hand and Princess Rongshou on the other, both of them remained silent.This is not considered disrespectful. If the empress dowager or the emperor has such unflattering words, the left and right are allowed to remain silent. "The weather is really nice!" The Empress Dowager Cixi said again: "When we turned back and went ashore, let's go to the Wansheng Garden." "Yes!" Concubine Jin and Princess Rongshou replied in unison. "It's a pity! Two good elephants will starve to death! I don't know who to blame for this matter."

It turned out that the so-called "Wansheng Garden" was named after these two elephants.When Duan Fang inspected the constitutional government and returned to China, he brought two elephants and a lion to present to the Empress Dowager Cixi. He intended to keep them in the Summer Palace, but Li Lianying thought it would be dangerous and strongly opposed it. At that time, the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce was using a long-desolate place outside Xizhimen, the origin of which is difficult to trace. We only know that a large piece of official land known as "Sanbeizi Garden" was used to create a wave of "agricultural experiments". , also collected exotic flowers and fruits from all over the country, and tried to plant them. Now, in order to accommodate the two elephants and one lion, the scale was simply expanded. In addition to plants, land was raised to raise animals, and many pavilions were built as places for recreation and viewing. After the completion, the Empress Dowager Cixi named the most spacious western-style building "Changguan Building" in honor of the two palaces. I visited it several times last summer, but this year, I only visited it once. The elephant has starved to death.

"I asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and they said that the foreigners were not fed well. Some people also said that the Ministry of Internal Affairs refused to increase the rations of this elephant. The two foreigners had signed a contract with the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce. , the deadline has not yet expired, and they are fighting to get a salary according to the contract." The Empress Dowager Cixi immediately said: "Perhaps the two elephants were killed by foreigners in order to get a free salary and return to China. Foreigners are really not good people! "

"Actually, why invite foreigners to feed the elephants? Didn't we have an elephant room before?" Princess Rongshou asked again: "I heard that the elephants fed in the elephant room still receive a third-rank salary! I don't know if there is such a saying?" "Why not?" Empress Dowager Cixi said, "Those elephants have full spirituality." Therefore, the Empress Dowager Cixi talked about the stories in Daoguang's former elephant room, how the elephant slave begged the elephant to deliberately block the way to collect money for him, how the elephant knew that the elephant slave had embezzled its salary and punished it with mischief, etc.In this way, he kept talking about the Guangyuan gate outside Xizhimen with great interest, and landed in a boat. As usual, he first went to Wanshou Temple to burn incense, and then led his family members to visit the Wansheng Garden east of Wanshou Temple.

At this time, someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued an urgent notice to drive away the tourists in order to pick them up.Empress Dowager Cixi entered the garden, walked right through the corridor, crossed a small stream, and stopped in front of an octagonal pavilion. This pavilion is huge, in fact, it is an animal enclosure, divided into eight directions, with iron fences standing upright, holding eight kinds of beasts, lions, tigers, black bears, leopards, bison, yellow wolves, and a rhinoceros with one horn. I don't know whether it was a sudden childlike innocence, or to show her boldness, the Empress Dowager Cixi approached the iron fence, and a tiger with shining blue eyes suddenly rushed up, scaring Li Lianying's face yellow.

"Lafayette," he gasped, "frightened the courage of the servant. Please stand back!" "There are iron bars, what are you afraid of?" Having said that, the family members could not help persuading them, so the Empress Dowager Cixi stood back, and when she had seen enough, she went to the left. There was a row of animal houses built along the wall. There were zebras, sika deer, and Indian sheep. All sorts of strange things.The Empress Dowager Cixi looked at it and asked questions at the same time. She was speechless when she asked a "supervisor of agricultural experiment field" from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and had no words to answer.The Empress Dowager Cixi was not angry, she just smiled and said: "You need to study more!"

After watching the animals and birds, and watching the birds and livestock, the Empress Dowager Cixi's waist and feet were very healthy, but Li Lianying felt the pain deeply, and advised several times: "Don't be tired! Take a rest!" The Empress Dowager Cixi ignored it. Not only did they ignore him, but whenever he fell behind, he would always ask, "Where's Lianying?"Everyone could see that the Empress Dowager Cixi wanted to make trouble for Li Lianying. As soon as he stepped into the gate of the palace, Qing Wang Yikui was taken aback, the one sitting behind the imperial case was only the Empress Dowager Cixi.Where is the emperor?He was thinking, on the first day of October at the Taimiao, did the emperor go to salute?Before I finished thinking about it, I remembered that there was an edict a long time ago, and Prince Gong Pu Weigong was sent to salute on his behalf.So, why didn't the emperor accompany the queen mother to the palace?

"The emperor's illness has increased again!" Empress Dowager Cixi said, "Let him rest for a few days." "Yes," Yikuang agreed without expression, and then put the yellow box in his hand on the imperial case, "The Dalai Lama has another tribute to the empress dowager, wishing longevity, please let him enter the palace that day." Present?" "Isn't the emperor going to give you a banquet?" Empress Dowager Cixi asked, "What day is set?" "The sixth day of October." Yikuang hesitated to speak, but finally said: "Please Yizhi, do you want to reschedule?"

"Rescheduled?" Empress Dowager Cixi asked in surprise, "Why?" "I'm afraid that on that day, the emperor will have to take care of me. I can't come to Ziguang Pavilion and give the banquet in person. It's better to reschedule." Yikuang went on to say, "This time the Dalai Lama felt aggrieved by kowtowing in order to meet him, and the British tried their best to win over him there. It’s not very good. The servants discussed with each other and asked the empress dowager and the emperor to be extra gracious, as a show of restraint. If you don’t give a banquet, it’s fine. If you give a banquet, you must invite the emperor to come in person.”

"I don't understand what you're saying. Isn't the Dalai Lama always at odds with Britain?" "That's what he said in the past. Now that the British are working hard on him, of course they have changed their minds." "This shows that the people we sent are useless, otherwise, how could the British get in." "Yes! The servant has already told Dashou and Zhang Yintang to pay attention." Yikuang paused for a moment and said, "The emperor must be invited to present the banquet. It is because Dashou and Zhang Yintang got word from the Dalai Lama that they came here to tell the servant that it must be done." So Ming, bow down and do it." The Empress Dowager Cixi thought for a while and said: "It can't be said now. The emperor will definitely not be able to go to the Ziguang Pavilion. If it is rescheduled, it is difficult to word. As for his other tribute, let him submit it on the ninth day of October. I will comfort him. .” What this means is fairly obvious.On the sixth day of October, when the Ziguang Pavilion gave a banquet, the emperor probably would not come in person, and the Empress Dowager Cixi was already thinking of a remedy.However, if this view is correct, what will happen to the Empress Dowager Wanshou?Could it be that the emperor didn't come to congratulate him either? This is a huge question and a huge change!Yuan Shikai believed that if the emperor's illness had really worsened, he should of course prepare for the worst. If the illness continued as usual, and Empress Dowager Cixi suddenly made such a statement, what was the true meaning? Yikuang fully agreed with his opinion, so under the pretext of asking Qu Tinggui to treat his illness, he was brought into the palace and met with Yuan Shikai in the inner study. "What's the matter with the emperor's illness?" Yi Qiang asked, "You go into the palace every day to ask for pulse, so you must know better than anyone else. Yongqiu, you must tell me the truth." "In front of the prince and Gong Bao, I never said a single perfunctory word. The emperor's illness, of course, is mild! Breathing slowly returned to normal, the back pain also decreased, and the diarrhea was much less. However, the urine test showed that it was still a problem. There is protein, which is a clear evidence of kidney disease. But it is not very serious!" "Did you take a pulse today?" "Please." "The situation you just mentioned is what you witnessed today?" "Yes!" Qu Tinggui blinked involuntarily, not understanding what Yikuang meant by asking this question. "Yongqiu!" Yuan Shikai asked: "According to you, the emperor's illness is not a problem?" " "No problem!" Qu Tinggui replied, "However, you need to be able to rest with peace of mind." "Then what about the Queen Mother?" Yuan Shikai asked again: "Is it okay to often suffer from dysentery?" "I haven't seen it for the Empress Dowager, so I dare not tell. But, after all, it's seventy-four! The heart of the elderly is always weaker, and they are prone to strokes. As for dysentery, it depends on the situation, and we can't generalize it." Yuan Shikai nodded, looked at Yikuang and asked, "Is there anything else you want to ask, my lord?" "I can't remember it for a while. Let's talk about it when you think about it." Yikuang said again: "Yongqiu, you should keep the situation we are talking about right now in your stomach." "Yes, yes!" Qu Tinggui hurriedly agreed, "I know the seriousness." "If the emperor's illness changes, or if you hear something relevant in the inner court, please come and tell me at any time, or tell Yuan Gongbao the same." "yes!" "Excuse me! Excuse me! I won't leave you alone." This is a hint to say goodbye.Qu Tinggui immediately stood up, but Yikuang called him again, and opened the door of the mahogany inlaid cupboard by himself. Inside were all kinds of curios. Pass it to Qu Tinggui. "This is a watch given to me by the British Minister Zhu Erdian. It is specially used for horse racing." Go!" "It's very useful! Thank you, my lord." Qu Tinggui said goodbye respectfully, and left. "My lord," Yuan Shikai's expression became very excited and solemn, "The matter is very clear! I have something to say from the bottom of my heart, to my lord." As he spoke, he looked back.Yili knew his intentions and shouted: "Come on!" A footman responded.Yikuang ordered that if there are any servants, they should all exit the Chuihua Gate, and ordered him to guard outside the gate, and no one was allowed to enter. So Yuan Shikai moved a mahogany round stool by himself, sat down on knees with Yikuang, and said softly: "The matter is very clear, the queen mother must not let the emperor die behind her. Once the dragon controls the guest, what will happen next?" "According to the example in December of the thirteenth year of Tongzhi, the Empress Dowager must convene an imperial meeting to ask everyone what they think?" "Yes, I'm asking the prince's meaning." "I advocate the establishment of the Changjun." Yi Kuang said without hesitation, "Let Pu Lun do it!" "No!" Yuan Shikai said: "Why didn't the prince think that one day he would move to Ningshou Palace to enjoy blessings?" Hearing this, Yikuang was dumbfounded, unable to speak for a long time, and all kinds of legends after Gao Zong's inner Zen came to his mind unexpectedly.But no matter what, I can't combine myself with Gaozong after the first year of Jiaqing. "Wei Ting," he finally said, "I'm afraid it won't work!" "How did you see that?" "I am Shuzong." "Hey! Why does the prince belittle himself?" Yuan Shikai said: "Renzong and Prince Qingxi are brothers from the same mother. Their status and upbringing were exactly the same at the beginning, only because Renzong was two years older, so he had to inherit the big position. , so far it has been eliminated, then it is only fair for Prince Qingxi to succeed him." If it is said that Prince Qingxi Yonglin is the successor, then the throne should fall on Zaizhen.Yikuang never dreamed that Yuan Shikai would make such a statement, which was so unbelievable that even those involved felt that it was unjustifiable. "Wei Ting, my father and son are very grateful for your kindness, but I'm afraid this matter won't work." "Why doesn't it work? Ask the prince!" "First, what you said has no evidence in ancient times..." "There is a levy, there is a levy!" Yuan Shikai rushed to say: "In the Song Dynasty, since the death of Taizu, brothers died, and the emperor passed from Taizong to Gaozong after Nandu. From the beginning of Xiaozong who received Zen, it is another The descendants of Taizu are now emperors." "Xiaozong is the descendant of Taizu?" Yi Kuang said in surprise, "I don't know." "There are books to prove it, so you can't talk nonsense." Yuan Shikai took out the first volume of "History of the Song Dynasty" and turned to "The Chronicles of Xiaozong", and handed it to Yikuang without even reading it.Sure enough, it was clearly recorded in the book that Xiaozong was the seventh grandson of Taizu, the successor of King Defang of Qin. This made Yikuang a little tempted!However, knowing a son is better than a father, Zai Zhenwang is not like a gentleman, and Yang Cuixi's serious romantic case, it will be difficult to convince the public.So I still shook my head and said, "No need, no need! It's just a waste of time, why bother?" "The prince is afraid that someone will not accept it?" "yes!" "Why don't you accept it? Now it's the selection of talents, Zhen Beizi is not as good as others? Of course, if you object, you can always find a reason. You might as well clear it up in advance." Yuan Shikai paused and said: "Back when Shizong came to the throne, there was no dissatisfaction among the brothers. ? But with Longkoduo around, he has no choice but to bow his head and surrender." Yongzheng's ability to inherit the great rule was due to Longkoduo's infantry command and control of 20,000 forbidden troops. Yuan Shikai used this example as Longkoduo's own drawing. Yikuang thought to himself, although Yuan Shikai was no longer in Beiyang, the new army of the six towns he trained, except for the first town under Tieliang's command, which was formed by bannermen and could not be commanded, the other five towns could be dispatched directly and indirectly.Duan Qirui, the first general under him, is currently in charge of the third town of Yuan Shikai's direct line, stationed in Baoding, and the sixth town in Nanyuan, originally bred by the third town, is actually under the command of Duan Qirui.Once there is a change, it is absolutely possible for Yuan Shikai to ask the first town stationed in Jinan, the fourth town stationed in Xiaozhan, and the fifth town stationed in Shandong to stand still and watch from the sidelines. If the town controls the capital, why worry about uncertainties? Thinking of this, Yikuang's ambition suddenly rose, he kept rubbing his hands and inhaling, and encouraged himself for a while, before he said: "This is a big deal! To comfort the court, we must plan well." "Yes, yes! Of course we need to plan well, but we also need to be quick!" Yuan Shikai said: "In my opinion, the only one who is more difficult to deal with is Zegong!" The mention of Zaize aroused Yikuang's enterprising spirit even more, because it was no secret that Zaize, the current Minister of the Du Branch, wanted to take Yikuang and replace him.Thinking of Zai Ze's domineering situation, he couldn't help saying bitterly: "One day let him go home and pick up the child!"