Chapter 97 Section 96

The regent has more than one trouble. The first is housework.Ever since Tai Fujin had a serious illness on the day his grandson entered the palace, because everything was going well, and more importantly, he no longer had to worry about what "Lafayette" would do, so his old illness gradually healed. Thinking about his three sons and one grandson, he is extremely noble in the world, and he is more blessed than "Lafayette". "Lafayette" can wield so much power, his grandson is the emperor, his son is the regent, and the out-and-out empress dowager can't be a bit of a master?Therefore, recruiting power and accepting bribes only takes half a year, and anyone who is good at drilling knows that there is such a fast, secure and cheap way in Beifu.

As a result, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are even more at odds.The daughter-in-law is the daughter-in-law who the Empress Dowager Cixi said: "This child is not even afraid of me". Naturally, she looks down on the mother-in-law who is not well-born and illiterate, and the mother-in-law can't understand the daughter-in-law's disobedience.Prince Regent Fujin likes to be lively and cheerful, and often appears at the newly opened Liuguo Hotel in Yuheqiao. Everyone in the mansion knows about it, and only the Prince Regent is hiding it. Although the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are like participating in business, they do their own things, and they can live in peace with reluctance. Sometimes it is inevitable that they will become hostile to the daughter-in-law's nosy affairs.For example, Zhang San has gone the way of Beifu Fujin, and promised to keep his position; however, Beifu Taifujin promised Li Si that he could replace Zhang San.Now that the regent is caught in the middle, I don't know who to listen to?Benevolent orders are hard to disobey, and interdiction orders are even stricter, often resulting in scolding on both sides and excruciating pain.Jia Zai Tao protects his mother, is at odds with his sister-in-law, and sometimes loses his temper in front of the regent.

"Lao Qi" is the youngest, the whole family has always let him, the regent is still like this, in addition to his mother and wife, he is also angry with his younger brother. In the palace, they are not only angry with the Empress Dowager Longyu, but also threatened by her invisible, because under the supervision of the king regent, there is a "in case of major events, the empress dowager must be invited to order, and the regent king will ask for it at any time." " tail, there is an extra layer of restraint.If you act arbitrarily from the beginning and ignore her, it will not be a problem. The bad thing is that after the two officials were promoted, when there were major incidents, they did abide by the will of the Empress Dowager, which means that they have established an unbreakable rule , and now it is becoming more and more unstoppable.

After careful examination, the threat actually came from Zai Ze.He has coveted the position of "Prime Minister" for a long time, if he just wants to replace Yikuang, there is still room for resolving the arrangement, but he not only wants to be the foreman of the military aircraft department, but also does not want to have a "mother-in-law".It also happened that there was a group of Mongolian ministers who were deeply disgusted with the great use of Xuntao's two baylors, and the combination of the two constituted a threat that could turn into an armpit at any time.These deeply dissatisfied Manchu and Mongolian ministers, led by Tie Liang and Rong Qing, and Sheng Yun, the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, opened up their vacancies with rude words, the resentment deepened, and the opposition increased a little.Sheng Yun and Rong Qing are brother-in-law, once the vacancy is opened, they will naturally stand by Rong Qing's side.

So there is a legend that has been widely circulated, but no one is willing to admit it, and it is impossible to find out the details: Eight ministers will jointly play a concert, and the queen mother is invited to listen to the government behind the curtain.No one can tell the whole story about these eight ministers, but Zaize, Tieliang, Rongqing, and Shengyun are indispensable, and Sheng Xuanhuai must be indispensable among the ministers of the Han Dynasty, because the Queen Mother hangs down and Zaize is in power. The servant, you can immediately become a minister. So Zai Tao made a plan for the regent, saying that he had been listening to Zai Ze's words for the past few months, restraining "Old Qing" everywhere, and he was very wrong.However, it is not too late to change course, contacting Yikuang is the only feasible strategy to resist Zaize.Doing so has another advantage, that is, it suppresses Pu Wei virtually.

It turned out that Xiaogong Wang Puwei had long been unwilling to give in. He first hoped for a big position, and when Puyi entered the palace, he knew that he couldn't compete with him.However, he didn't know who he heard said: When the Empress Dowager Cixi was dying, she summoned Zaifeng and the Minister of Military Aircraft, and she had a face-to-face order that Zaifeng may not be able to be regent, so Pu Wei can be her assistant.It's not someone talking nonsense, or deliberately teasing him, and Pu Wei believed so firmly that he even quarreled with Zhang Zhidong face to face, accusing him of helping Zaifeng hide his will.It was all right for Zaifeng to send him a minister, but because of his stubborn temperament, he was not subject to discussion, and was afraid of meeting him, so he was only given a job that was not beneficial and easily offended: minister of smoking ban.

This made Pu Weiyi feel depressed and indignant.Among the three "uncles" of the Xinyou coup, the only "six masters", Prince Gong Yiyi, contributed the most. In the next generation, Prince Chun Yixuan was especially honored and favored; among Prince Dun's sons, Zaiyi , Zai Lan was also famous for a while; Wufang and Qifang were all proud, why should the descendants of Liufang be so lonely?Therefore, Pu Wei decided to contact Yi Kuang, who was a member of the Shu family, and especially worked hard on Zai Zhen, hoping to form an alliance and make a difference.For Zaifeng, this was somewhat troublesome.Zai Tao believes that as long as the strategy of "rejection of the joint celebration" is implemented, this trouble will naturally disappear.

Zaifeng is still unable to estimate whether Zai Tao's strategy is the only feasible way.But he really felt the need for someone he could rely on. Since Zai Tao suggested this, and Yikuang called again, he naturally made up his mind to hold "Old Qing" tightly first. As soon as we met, we naturally talked about Jiang Guiti and Yijun first, and then we quickly talked about Zhang Defu-Xiao Dezhang. "This is a ruffian!" The regent shook his head greatly: "I don't know how much right and wrong has happened to him. I heard that Zhang Shaoxuan worshiped him?"

"It's the identity sect." Yikuang asked immediately, "Is Jiang Hanqing still moving?" "As it is, how can I move? The 'insider' mentioned to me that day that Mr. Jiang was so old that he couldn't walk anymore, and that Zhang Xun had done a good job in escorting him back then and was loyal. Why not send him to pick up Yijun? I said, I have to look into this matter. Jiang Guiti is really too old, and he should be allowed to go home for a few days in peace." The so-called "inside" refers to Queen Mother Longyu, and Yikuang asked: "So, I promised him."

"A promise is a promise. If you can't do it or you can't do it." Zaifeng is very decisive in this matter: "If you don't mention it, don't mention it. If you mention it again, I will say that there will be a mutiny if Jiang Gui's question is touched. Who is willing to take responsibility? Just move him." "If you reply, I will be responsible. What about the regent?" "Me?" Zaifeng thought for a moment and replied, "I'll just say, I'll find Jiang Guiti and ask the Queen Mother to tell him face to face." Yikuang almost laughed, this was a whimsical approach, but he couldn't take it lightly, and said in a very serious manner: "In this way, isn't it the same as asking the queen mother to take care of things?"

"Ah, ah!" Zaifeng was startled, and unconsciously admitted his mistake: "I didn't expect it, almost something bad happened." "The Empress Dowager cannot summon foreign ministers. This case must never be opened! Please remember, the Regent, once this test is opened, there will be endless troubles!" "That's right! I figured it out." Zaifeng asked: "If Zhang Shaoxuan is forced to pick up Yijun and dare to take responsibility for any trouble, what should I say?" "There are two ways to say this. One is soft and the other is hard. I don't know what the Regent wants to say?" "Talk about both ways!" "Okay, let's talk softly first, the regent might as well say this: the queen mother is caring for her in the palace, if there is a mutiny outside, how can she alarm the queen mother, and let the queen mother take care of this kind of trouble, wouldn't it be called the world's future generations, scolding the civil and military of the whole court? " "Where are the hard ones?" "Just say it hard: there was a mutiny in the capital and the ancestral temple was shocked. I'm afraid the queen mother can't take responsibility!" Zaifeng hesitated and said, "The hard one is too hard, the soft one is too soft...." "Then there is a compromise method that is neither soft nor hard. The regent might as well say this: Originally, if the Yi army made a mutiny, it would be sanctioned by the law of the country, but it was just a weapon for rats. The empress dowager's palace has not yet been secured, so we have to worry about it. " Before he finished speaking, Zaifeng had accepted it completely, "Okay, okay!" He said: "This is a very good statement." That is to say, Yikuang planned this soft and hard strategy, and Zaifeng's perception of him changed greatly. In the past, he was caught by Zaize's preconceived words, and he always felt that "Lao Qing" was a cunning and cunning model, but now he was thinking, what is going on with Jiang? It's old and hot, and it's considered exhaustive, as long as he is willing to do his best, he is still more reliable than others, so he began to confide in his heart.The conversation started with Tie Liang: "Tie Baochen is very restless, Uncle Qing, have you heard?" The word "Uncle Qing" sounds very strange to Yikuang!Since the promulgation of the etiquette of the regent supervising the country, it is stipulated that the title of the title should be commensurate, and only during the New Year's ceremony, I heard him call "Uncle Disgusting". Feel flattered. However, on the surface, he still maintains the demeanor of the day: "Tie Baochen is restless, it is no longer a day or two!" The good minister had a quarrel, and Lao Qi mentioned it to me several times. Could it be that he didn't mention it in front of the regent?" "I mentioned it, but what can I do? Recently, I heard that he is going to stir up trouble and intends to let the inside take charge of things. This is too nonsense!" "It can't be called nonsense! If he really stirs up the tide, even if it can be suppressed, it is not the blessing of the court." "That's right! Take precautions before they happen. Uncle Qing, what can you do?" Yikuang thought for a while and said lightly: "There are many ways! But I dare not come up with any ideas." "Hey, Uncle Qing!" Zaifeng was very confused: "Why do you say that?" "In the past, I gave Lafayette a lot of ideas. I listened to eight out of ten ideas, and all eight ideas were effective. Has the Regent heard of it? I came up with those ideas?" "No!" "Of course not. Lafayette can teach people to admire and make people afraid. That's the point. She makes up her own mind about everything, and she doesn't doubt who she employs." Afraid that he still didn't understand, Yi Qiang simply pointed out: "The Regent Listening to Zai Ze's words, it's inconvenient for me to give advice. Because my advice is to help the regent, and Zai Ze's advice is to help the insiders, which are completely different things." "Uncle Qing, don't worry, don't worry!" Zaifeng said repeatedly: "I will never listen to him again." "I don't think the regent can listen to him anymore. Otherwise, it will become a situation where the queen mother hangs the curtain." Yikuang continued: "Tie Baochen must go! Find a place for him to be a general." "Okay!" Zaifeng nodded, "Where is it?" "Got to find a good place." "It's Jiang Ning, of course. But..." The Regent didn't know what to say. "The regent is afraid that the place in the south of the Yangtze River is good, and he will make trouble there? It doesn't matter! The place in the south of the Yangtze River is full of talents, and he is not allowed to do anything wrong. But in remote places, he can do whatever he likes. No one can control him, but it's not good!" Zaifeng suddenly realized that he was using the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River to control Tie Liang, so he couldn't help laughing: "Uncle Qing is a good move." Next, we will talk about Zhang Zhidong's illness.The regent asked a question, if Zhang Zhidong was vacant, what impact would it have on the political situation? "It's not just Zhang Xiangtao," Yikuang replied, "Sun Xiechen is sick, and he is in danger. These two are the leaders of Han scholars. Once they pass away, it will naturally affect the world's view of the court. The only way to make up for it is Among the Han people, one or two truly capable and courageous people should be selected." "That's right!" The Regent nodded deeply, "Sun Xiechen is no more than the number one prime minister. Zhang Xiangtao wants to do things, but he is not really capable of doing things. It's all about prestige. If there is really someone who can do things, he can replace Zhang Xiangtao, and naturally he would like it. Qing Uncle, is there anyone in your heart?" "Yes, Yuan Weiting." The regent was stunned when he heard this, hesitated for a while and said, "I'm afraid it's a bit difficult." But half a year later, Yuan Shikai's situation was different again.At the beginning of the Bintian period in the two palaces, people's hearts were fluctuating and the situation was chaotic. No one knew what unexpected changes would happen, so not only Yuan Shikai was worried about himself, but Yiqiang was also worried about his own safety, so he did not dare to use all his strength to save him.Now the situation is very clear, not only the time to kill Yuan Shikai has passed and will never come back, but also no one wants to kill Yuan Shikai, if there is one, it is afraid that it is only the Queen Mother Longyu.The subtle thing is that everyone can say that Yuan Shikai can be killed, but the Empress Dowager Longyu can't. If he says Yuan Shikai should be killed, the whole court will apply for rescue, because Zhang Zhidong couldn't have said it more thoroughly, and the Queen Mother cannot be allowed to kill ministers!At the beginning of a kill, everyone can be the continuation of Yuan Shikai, so saving Yuan Shikai is tantamount to self-protection. Because of this, there is no need to have any scruples in defending Yuan Shikai.Yikuang had wanted to speak for him a long time ago, and when he encountered such a good opportunity today, he naturally refused to let it go. "Recently, the Regent often browses various newspapers, and always sees news that Yuan Shikai will be recalled. How can there be such a legend? This shows the direction of the people! Please think about it, the Regent. In terms of talents, who can compare with Yuan Weiting? For example, when Yang Lianfu fell down, he was full of jokes. Looking at him during his lifetime, he didn't look like a feudal governor. It's no wonder that everyone thinks of Yuan Shikai. " "That's true. However, it's really difficult to use him..." "I know the difficulty of the regent." Yi Kuang rushed to say: "One is that I dare not use it. Just like Tie Baochen and the others talk nonsense, Yuan is too domineering, and he will never let go of it in the future, and there is no time to regret it. This is an intentional slander for him. I dare to protect him, and he will never be domineering or disobedient. Besides, how can he be domineering if he has no military power?" He paused for a moment and continued. He also said: "If you can't use it again, it's because you have a prejudice against him. In all fairness, Yuan Weiting was wronged by this. It was said that he was an informer. He said that he had persuaded Daxing. If he wanted to talk about reform, he had to be slow." Slow down, it is not appropriate to take drastic measures. No one else knows what is going on. But even if the informant is not wrong, the new party wants him to rebel, but he dare not, and tell the whole story to the chief. This is all wrong? Take a step back As far as he is concerned, everyone can accuse him of being wrong, but the regent can't. I don't need to say that." As Rong Lu's son-in-law, Zaifeng, no matter how blunt he was, he couldn't fail to think of this truth. Yuan Shikai had informed Rong Lu that he planned to confine Emperor Dezong, and the Empress Dowager trained him in politics.But Yuan Shikai is guilty, how can Ronglu be innocent? Thinking about Yikuang's words again, Zaifeng suddenly understood.Several times when meeting the Empress Dowager Longyu, he mentioned Yuan Shikai and called him hateful. Zaifeng felt that it was inconvenient to agree with him, and he could not defend Yuan Shikai.In the future, if Empress Dowager Longyu mentions it again, she can bring it up under the brand name of Empress Dowager Cixi. Wouldn't even my own father-in-law be washed in it? "The power of employing people belongs to the regent." Yi Kuang urged again: "There is no need to hesitate." "Let's study it." Zaifeng thought that Yuan Shikai could not be used to change his mind: "If we use him, what's missing for him?" This sentence was a very serious question, Yikuang thought for a while and replied: "The official returned to his original position." When the official returned to his original position, he was Minister of Military Aircraft and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Zaifeng asked, "Where is Liang Dunyan?" Liang Dunyan is currently the Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "It's easy to handle!" Yikuang replied: "Either it is sent abroad, or transferred to the Ministry, there is always a place for placement." "If Yuan Weiting is willing to come, he will indeed be a good helper." "Not only diplomacy, it's better to let Yuan Shikai preside over it. Even if the sixth and seventh are transferred to the army, Yuan Weiting also needs to help. To be honest, like Tie Baochen, only Yuan Weiting can make him feel afraid. The sixth and seventh are not It will be in his eyes." This statement touched Zaifeng's heart even more. He sincerely hoped that his two younger brothers could take control of the military, but they were inexperienced, so it would be great to have Yuan Shikai's assistance.So his mind became more active. "I think so, first send someone to talk to him, Uncle Qing, what do you think?" "That is also a way. However, it is best that the regent can have a personal letter to take with him." "How to write in the letter?" Zaifeng said: "It seems difficult to word." "It's not difficult. The letter is not only a question, but also an encouragement. He is deeply favored by the court. Although he is in opposition, if there is something that should be changed in the country's affairs, he should also speak up." "Okay! It's fine to write like this." Zaifeng asked, "Who do you want to send?" "Send Yang Xingcheng." "That's it." Zaifeng nodded: "Uncle Qing brought him to see me tomorrow." So the next day, he summoned Yang Shiqi, the right servant of the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce, and appointed Yikuang to lead him.Zaifeng didn't say much, just said: "Go and see Yuan Weiting, take my letter to him, and say, I very much hope that he can work in Beijing." "Yes!" Yang Shiqi waited for a while, and seeing that the regent did not speak again, he got up and knelt down to resign.