Chapter 13 Section Thirteen

"Good brother," Wang Wu said solemnly, "you have to leave! I'm afraid you don't know yet, Master Yang Du, like Zhang Shilang, was also captured by the nine admirals." "That Master Yang Du?" "Shanxi people..." "Oh, Yangyi Village." Tan Sitong was a little confused, "Why don't you catch me, catch him instead?" "Hey! Brother," Wang Wuda said disapprovingly, "Could it be that you have that addiction and you have to go to jail to be happy? I thought about it. You said that you are afraid of hurting the old man. It's hard to say that the old man is involved. If you are involved, then you will surrender to the crime and atone for your father. You are a filial son, and the court has no reason not to let the old man out. If this is the case, why bother yourself?"

"That's not the way to say it. When you do big things, you have to have someone who is not afraid of death, so that you can move others, one after another..." At this point, Tan Sitong stopped, feeling that his words were not expressive, and it was difficult to explain clearly to Wang Wu . Wang Wu actually understood, "Brother," he said, "I also know that you have a lot of reason, but I really can't just watch you being taken away. Don't you want the Pope? I have people and money. No one has an idea. Brother, it's up to you!" This was deliberately putting a big hat on him. Tan Sitong knew what he meant, so he didn't want to say it out loud, so he just replied: "Fifth brother is responsible for the righteousness, I dare not refuse to listen. But it will not work tonight, and this is not a detailed discussion. In this way, tomorrow morning, we will still meet in the big wine tank."

Wang Wu had no choice but to agree, and made a firm promise to meet early the next morning before leaving. Unexpectedly, in the early morning of the next day, Tan Sitong had just woken up, and the officers and soldiers of the infantry commander's yamen, together with the arresters from Daxing and Wanping counties, had already arrived at the door.Those arrested in the same case, besides Yang Rui, Lin Xu, and Liu Guangdi, were also Xu Zhijing, an acting servant of the Ministry of Rites who once sponsored Kang Youwei, and Zhang Yinhuan and Yang Shenxiu, a total of seven people, were transferred to the Ministry of Punishment and temporarily stayed in the detention center. They live in the same room, and they are not allowed to meet each other, let alone talk in private.

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, any new party, or those who followed the fashion a while ago, wrote a letter, recommended talents for the New Deal, and discussed reforming the official system, abolishing the imperial examination, planning to set up civil and military schools and sending personnel to study tours, organizing new troops and regimental training, promoting agriculture, industry and commerce, The big and small officials of the New Deal, such as setting up banks to change the currency system, opening mines and building roads, setting up newspaper offices and translation bureaus, are all in danger.Those who felt it was inevitable and were able to raise capital from Sichuan made plans to avoid going to Beijing, so that Qianmen Station suddenly became much more lively than usual.

Of course, there are more people celebrating each other.Originally, a month ago, there was a Taoist decree that all the yamen belonging to the "Great Nine Ministers" such as Zhan Shifu, Tongzhengsi, Guanglu Temple, Honglu Temple, Taipu Temple, and Dali Temple in Beijing had been abolished, and the redundant staff became There are no fewer than 10,000 disaster officials, and the crowd is in a state of panic, so they can't live all day long.Seeing that the Queen Mother is back in power, and then arresting and questioning the new party, we can see that all "recovery" is still done by officials.However, some yamen, when they heard the abolition order, came to a massacre, not only did not keep the seals and files, but even the doors, windows and walls of the government offices were stripped bare. Although the fur can be attached, the skin is gone, which is also a worry people's business.

Of course, there are only a few people who are really so excited that they can't sleep, and one of them is Yang Chongyi.From his spying on the intention, he made a plan with Ronglu, and after he accepted the invitation to the Empress Dowager to teach the government on the third day of August, he became the number one official in Beijing.On the day when Ninetowns was closed and the trains stopped, a special train with only one compartment was left from Qianmen Station, and Yang Chongyi was sitting in it. It turned out that although Rong Lu was favored by Empress Dowager Cixi, he was quite isolated in Beijing.Some people don't want him to climb up, they are afraid that if he rises up, he will be dwarfed by comparison, and he will lose power. Some people think that he is too domineering and should be suppressed. With a deep and unrevealed loyalty and love, Ronglu only knows that he has a mother, but does not know that he has a son, and he is indignant in his heart, so of course he will not speak well for him.Therefore, Rong Lu had to find someone to open the way for him in order to make great use of internal calls.

Yang Chongyi's second note was to open the way for Rong Lu, suggesting that "the Minister of Beiyang, Rong Lu, should be called to Beijing today." What are you doing in Beijing?You can't explicitly let Rong Lu join the military plane, even if you can say it, Rong Lu doesn't want him to say it, because the university scholar walking on the military plane is the real prime minister, and he is ashamed to be recommended by the supervisory censor of the fifth rank. Therefore, Yang Chongyi found an excuse, saying that Kang Youwei was at large and Liang Qichao was not captured. Although Kang Guangren and Tan Sitong were arrested but not executed, he feared that the Kang Party would collude with foreigners and threaten them with warships and cannons. He should call the Beiyang Minister Rong Lu to Beijing immediately , Protect the empress dowager and the emperor.

However, Beiyang is the most important city in the country, so it cannot be left alone for a day. When Ronglu went to Beijing to protect Shenggong, someone had to take his place.For the past three years, Yang Chongyi has worked hard and solitary, trying to create a big disturbance in the court, the purpose is to recommend a person who will guard Beiyang on behalf of Ronglu at this moment. Li Hongzhang, a scholar of the Wenhuadian University. It turns out that Yang Chongyi and Li Hongzhang are close relatives.Li Hongzhang's eldest son is called Li Jingfang. Although he is the successor of his nephew, he is regarded as the son of his own son, and Li Jingfang is Yang Chongyi's son and daughter.Miss Li's boudoir name is Guoxiang, and she married Yang Chongyi's eldest son, Yang Qi.

Yang Qi, whose name is Yunshi, is a young celebrity.What he got was the charming guest of Xiangfu.Perhaps it was due to his talent, but it may also be because Yang Chongyi is from Changshu, Jiangsu. His fellow villager Weng Tonghe, who was respected as an emperor's teacher, was highly valued. , to achieve a more intimate relationship.If he really had such an attempt, it would be a complete failure! The marriage between the Yang and Li families was concluded in the eighteenth year of Guangxu.At that time, Li Hongzhang, with his honors and achievements, seemed to be as good as the sun, but in fact, "the setting sun is infinitely beautiful".In the Sino-Japanese War two years later, the Beiyang Navy was defeated in one fell swoop.At first, Weng Tonghe and his disciples such as Wang Mingluan, Wen Daoxi, and Concubine Zhen's eldest brother Zhirui, etc., fought with all their strength. Afterwards, the Weng Party tried to join Li Hongzhang, first stripping his yellow jacket and pulling out his three-eyed flower feather. , Finally captured his Beiyang Minister Zhili Governor.Ma Guan discussed peace and returned to the country, and was ordered by the court to join the cabinet to handle affairs. Although there was a trip to celebrate the coronation of the Russian emperor and a secret Sino-Russian treaty that he thought could be guaranteed for decades, it was never reused. If you join the military, you can't hold military power, and you can't even hold a part-time job as a minister of prime minister affairs.

When Li Hongzhang lost power, Yang Chongyi had no hope, so he hated Weng Tonghe's party very much.He could see very clearly that the Empress Dowager Cixi still cared for the old ministers, and only because the emperor listened to Weng Tonghe, so that his "old in-law" could not stand out, so he became a "rear party" with all his heart, and tried every means to cut off the emperor's wings.Wen Daoxi, the teacher who attacked Concubine Zhen first, was just in line with Empress Dowager Cixi's dislike of Concubine Zhen.This time, it is a great achievement to be the first to attack and ask for political training. The time to consciously serve the "old in-law" is ripe!

Behind his back, he called Li Hongzhang "the old in-law". When they met, Yang Chongyi still used his "official name" and respectfully called out: "Zhongtang!" Then he held the manuscript with both hands: "The late student drew up a brochure, please read it in Zhongtang." "Brother-in-law, don't dare to be that!" Li Hongzhang also very politely joined hands. After reading the exhibited manuscript carefully, after reading the first paragraph, please call Ronglu, Li Hongzhang thought for a while before reading: "It is very important to go to Beiyang, and it cannot be left alone for a day. Could you please order Li Hongzhang, a senior scholar, to go there today as an interim agent, after all, he was in Beiyang, and all the generals are his former troops, and it seems to be more responsive when it is critical." Seeing this, he stopped and said, "I'm so grateful. However, I'm afraid it won't be of any use." When Yang Chongyi heard this, he was very discouraged, "Zhongtang!" He said, "How can Yuan Weiting preside over Beiyang today? What's more, Zhongtang is a pillar of the imperial court, which has been favored for a long time. At this time of crisis and shock, of course we must rely on it." mature." "You say I'm a 'pillar of the imperial court', that's not bad, it's just a stepping stone for others." Li Hongzhang said, "Today's copy of the mansion, did my brother-in-law read it?" "not yet!" "You'll know it when you see it!" Retrieving the copy of the palace gate of the day, Li Hongzhang pointed out that one of Ronglu's memorials was the "Four Arms Schools of Tongwen, Artillery, Infantry, and Cavalry" set up to "supervise and train the new Army Zhili Standard Division Yuan Shikai" to imitate the Western system. "The officers and soldiers reported for the award, led by Duan Qirui, the supervisor of the Artillery Academy, and a total of 16 members were secured.Bong Zhu commented: "Do as you please." "Brother-in-law, Yuan Weiting is going to be of great use. If Rong Zhonghua goes to Beijing, it must be the company who dismantles it for him. Isn't that right?" "Yes! Rong Zhonghua told me face-to-face that once the decree was received, he was going to let Yuan Weiting protect the seal. However," Yang Chongyi raised his voice especially, "he also said that it is really appropriate for Zhongtang to return to Beiyang. However, he felt that his status was inferior to that of Zhongtang. It’s a big chunk, so I don’t want to take the liberty of recommending it, so let me give you a discount.” "Oh," Li Hongzhang asked very attentively, "Did he really say that?" "I dare not lie to Zhongtang." Li Hongzhang closed his eyes and thought for a long time, and then "gulu, gulu" smoked a hookah. Obviously, he was thinking, could he agree to Yang Chongyi's attempt? "It's good to have it!" He finally said, "As a foreshadowing." "Yes!" He agreed in this way, but doubts appeared on his face. "Going back to Beiyang, I'm afraid I won't even think about it in this life!" Li Hongzhang said, "How many people want to take my military power, especially a powerful character like Rong Zhonghua, how can they let go so easily?" "No!" Yang Chongyi said, "He told me that he still wants to join the military." "Joining the army may not prevent you from taking control of the military. Let's not talk about it! Brother-in-law," Li Hongzhang asked suddenly, "Do you think it's interesting for me to go back to Beiyang?" "Beiyang is Beiyang after all..." Li Hongzhang shook his hand and stopped him from continuing: "The old man is old! Where can I still have a dream of regaining my glory? Seeing the opportunity, like Zuo Wenxiang in the past, I can choose a good place for me to retire in the old age. This wish is enough! " Hearing this, Yang Chongyi knew that Li Hongzhang's ambition was in Liangjiang or Guangdong.These two "good places" are rich areas, and with Li Hongzhang's qualifications, it is not difficult to get them.The so-called "it's good to be in the government" just means that even if you can't re-establish Beiyang, you have to choose the next best thing, which is better than "joining the cabinet to handle affairs" in Beijing. Li Hongzhang did think so.But the founding of Beiyang was full of majesty and majesty. After all, he couldn't forget his feelings, so when Yang Chongyi left, he immediately took care of him: "Take my business card and invite Master Chen from the Prime Minister's Office!" This "Master Chen" is from Guizhou. His name is Chen Kuilong, and his style name is Xiaoshi. He was a Jinshi in the 12th year of Guangxu. Li Hongzhang appreciates him for his honesty, honesty and sophistication, and his handsome appearance. However, he wanted to find Chen Kuilong this day for another reason.Because Chen Kuilong was only a fifth-rank official, but he was able to hand over to a famous public official.He married three times, and his first wife was the niece of Ding Baozhen, the former Governor of Sichuan; his current wife is the cousin of the late Minister of Military Aircraft Xu Gengshen, who was married to the current Minister of Military Aircraft Liao Shouheng twice, and currently lives outside Donghuamen. Liao Mansion.So when Li Hongzhang went to him, he was able to get news from the Military Aircraft Department. Secondly, when Rong Lu was Minister of the Ministry of War, he valued Chen Kuilong the most among the officers. Regardless of investigation or inspection, every time he went out of Beijing, he would always take Chen Kuilong as his entourage.At the same time, Yuan Shikai relied on Xu Shichang as his right-hand man, who was the same year as Chen Kuilong.So he is quite well-informed about the news about Tianjin. More importantly, Chen Kuilong won the trust of Qing Wang Yikuang in the Prime Minister's Yamen, and he was in charge of secret telegrams with Beiyang.Li Hongzhang knew that the secret performances of Rong Lu and the secret edicts of Empress Dowager Cixi were all inherited by King Qing, and they must all be translated by Chen Kuilong. Therefore, if you want to inquire about all the top secrets in front of you, you must find Chen Kuilong.