Chapter 56 Section fifty-six

At midnight, King Qing was woken up from the bed because Zhang Jingtong Dezhang, the general manager of the Prime Minister's Office, asked to see him and asked for urgent business instructions. "I just received a joint note from the envoys of the nine countries." Tong Dezhang said: "The deadline at twenty-four o'clock is too urgent, so I asked for an extension. The envoys of the nine countries are planning to go tomorrow, no, it should be today, at nine o'clock this morning Zhong came to pay a visit to the prime minister's office. What they meant was that they wanted to meet the prince."

"It's a little too harsh for us to limit people to lower the flag at four o'clock this morning. I think it's a little bit more flexible. The empress dowager summoned the prince's military plane at four o'clock, and called for the grand rise at six o'clock. I will make a statement in person. Please do." "Yes!" Tong Dezhang asked, "Did your lord receive the ministers from various countries at nine o'clock?" "No, no!" King Qing shook his hands wildly, "The boxers and Huizi soldiers all over the street are arrogant and domineering, without the law of the king, it is simply out of the world! Ministers from all countries must not come. Please be sure to inform me that after the reprieve We will make a separate note to reply, so there is no need to sign it!"

After Tong Dezhang left, King Qing was so worried that he couldn't sleep anymore. He washed his food and took a nap for a while. At two o'clock, he left the mansion in a sedan chair and arrived in Dexiwan. At one o'clock, when "calling Daqi", there is a chance to speak. Think about it, only the Minister of Military Aircraft was asked to act on his behalf, so he found Ronglu and explained the matter.Rong Lu agreed without hesitation, and said that he would not hesitate to offend King Duan, and would have a heart-to-heart remonstrance. Before the conversation was over, clear and crisp applause could be heard from a distance, two pauses, two pauses, slow and even, it was the eunuch giving the signal, the two palaces and imperial palaces.

Sure enough, two rows of palace lanterns slowly moved across the corridor, and Empress Dowager Cixi was returning to Yiluan Hall after burning incense from Wanshan Hall.The summoning was imminent, King Qing patted Rong Lu on the shoulder and said, "Go up! Zhong Hua, at least leave room for negotiation." This sentence just spoke to Rong Lu's heart, and he believed that he would also gain the tacit understanding of the Empress Dowager Cixi, but it was inconvenient to say this, so he just nodded and hurried back to the Junji Zhilu, where he would enter the palace with his colleagues.

The time was very accurate, and as soon as I entered the hall, I could hear seven or eight chiming bells rising and falling one after another, each beating four times.At four o'clock, the dawn has come out, and the lights in the hall are brightly lit. On the imperial case in the east room, there is a large foreign lamp with a carved silver seat and a crystal lampshade. It seems that Zhizhu is holding it. "We called Daqi for three days in a row, but in the end there was no result. Dagukou fell, and I think Tianjin is almost lost! Whether it is peace or war, we still have no idea. Could it be that I am so old? Age is another time to escape? Now we are being bullied by others, who is bloody and wants to fight foreigners! It is only because the emperor is still undecided, and there are also people who are timid. If this continues, how can we get it?" Cixi The Queen Mother stopped, and saw Zhao Shuqiao at the end from Li Wang Shiduo, and Fang went on to say: "You are all ministers who share weal and woe with the country, and the Military Aircraft Department is the real cabinet. The purpose of calling Daqi is to let foreigners know, China's monarchs and ministers are of one mind, teaching them not to underestimate it, to do big things and take big ideas, we are the few. Now there are no outsiders, everyone has something to say, we have discussed it, and we will tell everyone later."

It is clear what the four words "no outsiders" mean. It means that the emperor has never been present.Rong Lu felt that this opportunity was very good. With the emperor around, he had to stand on the side of the empress dowager. Now he could speak freely, even if the argument was similar to that of the emperor, it would not hurt the Empress Dowager Cixi's face. Thinking this way, they bumped into each other and said: "The empress dowager's painstaking efforts to maintain the overall situation for decades and to avenge her shame are known all over the world. Foreigners are rude, and they should have declared war, but King Duan and some ministers advocated attacking the embassy. I was wrong! The situation has reached this point, if the servant does not speak out of his heart, he is betraying the grace of God. The servant also knows that what is said is not pleasant, but he dare not not play it, and he is willing to die if he understands it. The righteousness of the Spring and Autumn Period, the two countries Soldiers, don’t kill pedestrians, if you look down on the ministers of various countries, you will look down on his country. If you sit back and watch the Boxers attack the embassy and kill all the envoys, the countries will be ashamed and humiliated. If they unite together, they will attack China and use one country to defeat eight or nine countries. Slaves My humble opinion is not victory or defeat, but survival. The empress dowager is wise, and strives to maintain the overall situation and secure the country. The slaves have received a lot of kindness, and it is difficult to repay them. Now there are only these two bone-deep words, which are a little foolish and loyal If you don't get the empress dowager's approval, please ask the empress dowager to punish you immediately, and the slave will never dare to participate in the final discussion again."

Empress Dowager Cixi was of course very angry.But just like Li Lianying, she had an idea that she never doubted, whatever Rong Lu said was for her own good.As long as you change your mind in this way, you will be more tolerant, and you will be able to calm down and listen to Rong Lu's words carefully, so that you can hear the implication of his last sentence. This is Rong Lu's hint that attacking the embassy and killing foreigners, it is best not to pull him in and "cook it in one pot", let him stay out of the matter, and only capable people can be used when there is a need to turn things around in the future.The Empress Dowager Cixi has been in the court for forty years. She has experienced a lot of things and knows that it is not easy to take power. To take power is to think about the embarrassment of losing power or not being able to get it in time, so as to reserve regress.Although it has been decided to declare war now, there is no country in ancient or modern China or abroad that has been able to fight wars for hundreds or decades.That being the case, it is better to keep Rong Lu for future peace talks with Li Hongzhang.Anyway, this is just a set of tricks for people to see. If Rong Lu is really asked to attack the embassy and kill foreigners, how dare he resist?

After thinking about it, he lowered his face and said angrily: "I never thought you would be so disregarding the overall situation! Your words are all selfishness that is afraid of taking responsibility, and you must not follow you. What are you talking about in the spring and autumn, the situation thousands of years ago How can it be compared with now? At that time, the countries were so polite and courteous that they sent troops to protect their "pedestrians". , The Boxers wanted to attack the embassy. It was due to righteous indignation, and the court was inconvenient to stop it. The court's last resort is unknown to others, not even you. It's beyond my expectation! You don't have to fight any more, and it's useless." Having said that, He slightly raised his voice and said, "Go down!"

The monarch and his ministers have a deep understanding, and Rong Lu is very careful, afraid that others will see through the mechanism, and even pretends to have hit a big nail, as if trembling, and then he kneels down and exits. This time, he was very proud of his fortitude, "The empress dowager is wise! If the righteous indignation accumulates, the sad teacher will win." He met and said: "When you turn around and call Daqi, please ask the empress dowager to declare it categorically and issue an edict to declare war." "The manuscript for the declaration of war has been prepared." Qixiu said, at the same time, he took out the manuscript written by Bai Zhezi from the leaf of his boots, and held the imperial case with both hands.

Therefore, Li Lianying, who was waiting outside the gate of the palace, rushed forward and moved the foreign lamp closer. The Empress Dowager Cixi looked at the lamp carefully and saw that "rather than just trying to survive, I will be shamed forever; Male and female" These two sentences were unconsciously read out. "This manuscript is very good, it fits my intention." Empress Dowager Cixi asked, "Did it be drawn by Qixiu?" "No!" Qixiu couldn't help but tell the truth: "It was drafted by the military aircraft Zhang Jinglian Wenchong."

Empress Dowager Cixi nodded and asked, "What else do you have to say?" "Everything is up to the Empress Dowager." Li Wang replied. Now it's time to speak up.Li Lianying knew that every time he spoke, he was eloquent, and sometimes he couldn't speak clearly, so he needed to check.Such a delay will miss the time for the Empress Dowager Cixi to change clothes and rest, and turn around to "call Da Qi" to make a mess and feel uneasy.Therefore, he rushed to the front and said: "Please return to Nuan Pavilion for tea and dinner first. Ladies and gentlemen, if you have something to say, you can also play back "Calling Da Qi" later. "