Chapter 30 Section 30

That is, this quick rain seems to have extinguished everyone's anger. Woren has already sold his leave and entered Hongde Hall, and he rarely hears criticisms of Tongwenguan.This is a kind of comfort and encouragement to Prince Gong. He made an appointment with Wenxiang, hoping that Wenxiang would pay more attention to military affairs in various places, and he would devote all his energy to foreign affairs. The matter of Tongwenguan is all right, but another "shipping administration" is still in trouble.At the foot of Mawei Mountain in Fuzhou, it was originally Zuo Zongtang's idea to set up a shipbuilding factory along the river. Zuo Zongtang transferred the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu to recommend talents, saying that Shen Baozhen, who was not Ding You, was not competent. Shen Baozhen is indeed a talent, but It is Zuo Zongtang's private intention to say that he must do it.Both Zuo and Shen were at odds with Zeng Guofan, and Shen Baozhen captured Hong Fuzhen alive during his tenure as governor of Jiangxi, which gave Zuo Zongtang an excuse to attack Zeng Guofan. Bao Shen Baozhen became the "Prime Minister of Shipping".

However, although Shen Baozhen used public funds to make friends with the censor and fellow officials in Beijing, he himself, like Ding Baozhen who succeeded Yan Jingming as governor of Shandong, was known as Qing Cao, so he did not agree with Wu Tang, the new governor of Fujian and Zhejiang.The Yamen of the Minister of Shipping has a monthly fund of 50,000 taels of silver, and it is designated to be allocated by customs duties. It is the most reliable source.All shipbuilding equipment, even coal, are purchased from abroad. If the price is floated, there is nowhere to check it.Wu Tang saw that this was a "profit", but Shen Baozhen didn't let him get involved, and the shipyard's promotion was the Fujian feudal official, who was Wu Tang's subordinate. Go there and go fast.Shen Baozhen naturally refused to let him go, and he could also concentrate on his own affairs, so he went to Shushu to fight hard.In this way, the signs of conflict between Wu and Shen are very obvious.

Empress Dowager Cixi was troubled by this.Of course she wanted to defend Wu Tang, but she definitely couldn't say that Shen Baozhen was wrong. She just took over the job, so what merits and demerits are there?Therefore, the imperial court can only use the position of mediating people to persuade them to "do business in harmony." At this time, Wu Tang had other plans. He thought that Fujian was too miserable, and he would be angry with Shen Baozhen, so he might as well be the governor of water transportation.Therefore, Andehai was asked to speak, and the activity was transferred.What he never forgot was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and it happened that Ruilin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, impeached Jiang Yili, the governor of Guangdong protected by Zuo Zongtang. The queen mother took this opportunity to transfer Wu Tang away from Fujian and ordered him to "go to Guangdong to investigate and deal with it impartially".

Governors and governors in the same city are often at odds. If there is a case of mutual involvement, the special minister of Jingli will always be sent to investigate and deal with it, and another minister will be sent to deal with it. This is a rare case.But Wu Tang's relationship was different. Those who knew the inside story were all worried for Ruilin, fearing that both sides would suffer, and the imperial envoy who investigated the case would be cheaper. But this "insider story" is ridiculous in the eyes of very few people who really understand the origins of the eight nobles of Manchuria.Rui Lin's situation is similar to Wu Tang's. If Wu Tang can survive, Rui Lin will not collapse either.

He is of the same family as the Empress Dowager Cixi, both surnamed Yehenala, and he was born in a pen post style, and he is a "reading Zhuzan Lilang" in Taichang Temple, which is in charge of all ceremonies.In the twenty-seventh year of Daoguang, during the Taimiao Yuji Festival—the great sacrifice to ancestors at the end of the year, Ruilin read the Manchurian Zhu Wen, with a loud voice and full of energy. Xuanzong paid the most attention to these details, and out of joy, he awarded him the top five Dai and Hua Ling.Soon, he was promoted to Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, and then promoted to cabinet bachelor and minister of rites in the spring of the next year.It took only fifteen months to jump from a ninth-rank official to a second-rank official, and all I gained was a voice suitable for singing blackheads.

Ruilin's wealth in the second half of his life is due to his generosity and honesty.When the Empress Dowager Cixi was in Qingjiangpu, she received Wu Tang's unintentional favor and carried her coffin back to Beijing. Mother, daughter, sister and brother, widows and orphans, no one paid any attention to her.Ruilin is concerned about the friendship of the same clan, and often gives alms.From the perspective of Empress Dowager Cixi, although this is no better than Wu Tang's helping hand in a desperate situation, it is also a kindness of giving charcoal in a timely manner.At that time, Empress Dowager Cixi's natal family had only two people to take care of her, one was Ruilin, and the other was the clan Yikuang, but Yikuang himself was also poor, so he could only help her natal family with ghostwriting and letter writing. Ruilin is so touching.

Therefore, when Wen Zong came to the throne, Empress Dowager Cixi, the concubine Yi at that time, was favored in the Yuanmingyuan "Heaven, Earth, and Family Spring", Ruilin's official career skyrocketed, and she joined the military plane and was directly supervised. Wenyuange University Bachelor. At that time, it was the invasion of the British and French allied forces. Later, Haidao invaded from the north and occupied Tianjin, and the capital was shaken.Ruilin was ordered to lead 9,000 Beijing soldiers to guard Tongzhou. The court and the war were inconclusive, but Seng Gelinqin had already retreated all the way. The forward of the coalition army arrived in Zhangjiawan, Tongzhou. The battle was defeated, he retreated to the capital, and fought another battle outside Andingmen, but was still defeated, so Ruilin was dismissed from his post and fled to Rehe with Wenzong.

After the agreement was reached, the dismissed officials were employed one after another. Ruilin was sent to serve in Seng Gelinqin's army with the title of servant. Jining.This time he was fired again. Wen Zong died in the second year, followed by the "Xinyou Coup". Thanks to the support of Empress Dowager Cixi, Ruilin was transferred to be the capital of the Han army in the Xianghuang Banner, and then transferred to the capital of Rehe, and soon the general of Guangzhou.Mao Hongbin downgraded, and Ruilin also served as the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. He had no scruples about selling goods and accepting bribes in Guangzhou.All official duties were entrusted to a close friend, Xu Hao, who hid in the yamen by himself. Apart from paying attention to food and admiring the talent of Shunde maids, he kept making jokes, adding "one cup and two dishes" to Guangzhou people when they went to teahouses. Many interesting topics.

Most of the banner people's jokes are about recognizing white characters. Ruilin's official reputation is great, so the joke about recognizing white characters is even more famous.Once when the price of rice in Guangzhou skyrocketed, he asked his subordinates what was the reason?The man answered four words: "Businessman Ju Qi." Ju Qi understood, but he didn't understand the word "marketian". He asked in surprise, "Who are the 'Four Monsters'?" " However, he is simple and honest, and quite self-aware, so a fellow acquaintance surnamed Mi was distributed to the province. When he first met the governor, he took the "handbook" and said honestly: "My brother's surname is too remote, I don't know what it is. Please tell me yourself!" Everyone who heard it wanted to laugh but did not dare to laugh.

Of course, the court has heard about Ruilin's jokes, and his "official voice" in Guangzhou has even been heard by the court.But he was able to stand still because he was "a good official and himself", not only because of the favor of the Empress Dowager Cixi, but also from Prince Gong, all the princes and ministers of Manchuria were willing to maintain Ruilin.This is of course due to his generosity and excellent popularity, but the most important reason is that since the founding of the country, the power of the Han people has never been greater in the two hundred years since the founding of the country. Among the governors of fifteen provinces, only one governor of Anhui, Ying Han, is a Manchurian, including " Of the ten governors including Water Transport and River Road, only Huguang Governor Guanwen and Guangdong and Guangxi Governor Ruilin are Manchurians.When the official document was Zeng Guoquan's reckless impeachment, and Tan Tingxiang, who investigated the case, took over, Ruilin became the only remaining governor.If Wu Tang succeeds again, the governor of the world, who are all Han people and Manchu subjects, will naturally not accept it, so no matter how greedy Rui Lin is, he still has to remain in office.It is true that Ruilin is not qualified for this position, but the Manchurian officials are almost all of the same breed, so it is better to obey the Empress Dowager Cixi and keep him in office.

This is the inside story of the inside story, and only a very small number of people know about it, and this "very few" people do not even include An Dehai, and of course Prince Gong is included. After receiving the order to go to Guangzhou to investigate the case, Wu Tang knew that he would never return to his post, so when he left Fuzhou, he took all the belongings of his family with him as if he was being transferred, and personally dispatched two hundred soldiers escort.From Fuzhou to Shanghai by ship, people were sent to send the family members back to their hometown in Xuyi, Anhui, and then from Shanghai to Hong Kong by ship, and transferred to Guangzhou to investigate the case. When he was in Shanghai, Wu Tang realized that the reason why Rui Lin got the attention of the Empress Dowager Cixi was the same as his own, and that he was a bannerman, so he had more advantages than himself, so he no longer wanted to replace him.Because of this, he regards the investigation of Guangzhou as a Pearl River Rover, and walks slowly and leisurely. When he arrives in Guangzhou, he does not talk about the "customs and defense" that the imperial envoy should have. , happy talk and drink every day. Both Ruilin and Wu Tang are born blessed and good at drinking and eating. The shark fin cooked by Ruilin's kitchen is even inferior to the wealthy families who "eat in Guangzhou". Quite a feeling of seeing each other late. Of course, the case needs to be investigated. The reason for the investigation is that Jiang Yili, with Zuo Zongtang's backing, used the bad rules to fight for power with the governor. When asked, Wu Tang replied: "Jiang Yili has been in the army for a long time, and he was sent to Xinjiang for the first time. After he arrived in eastern Guangdong, he thought about rectifying the place, making advantages and eliminating disadvantages; The situation is straightforward, so that the withdrawal of funds, the approval and distribution of brave food, and the discussion with the governors have not been able to find a case, please submit it to the Ministry for discussion." The Ministry of Officials replied, please demote Jiang Yili to four ranks. The Empress Dowager Cixi knew that Jiang Yili had been wronged in this case, so she changed her rank to two ranks, changed from governor to alternate inspector, and sent it to Zuo Zongtang, governor of Shaanxi and Gansu. Committee. Soon, Luo Bingzhang, governor of Sichuan, died of illness. Needless to say, Wu Tang was of course transferred to make up.The governor of Fujian and Zhejiang was vacated, and Ma Xinyi, the governor of Zhejiang, was promoted to the post. He was from Heze in Shandong and was the same year as Li Hongzhang.At the time when there were great disputes among the Muslims in Shanxi-Gansu, Ma Xinyi's new appointment attracted people's attention because he was Muslim. Regarding this transfer, everyone's opinion is that Wu Tang's life is fixed, but the people in Sichuan will suffer.In terms of Wu Tang's background, talent, and ambition, it is impossible to make him a prime minister, and it is impossible to transfer the governors of Liangjiang or Guangdong. In this way, the governor of Sichuan, who is far away from the sky and the emperor, will die as soon as possible. The people will suffer. But for Li Hongzhang, what surprised him secretly was the news of the transfer of another frontier official at the same time. Come on, save face for him.Liu Changyou, governor of Zhili, was not so cheap, and he was dismissed.The reason why Zeng and Liu ended up like this is because they failed to suppress the bandits.Li Hongzhang, currently stationed in Jining, Shandong, who is in charge of suppressing Dongnien, knows that if he doesn't fight another big victory to comfort the imperial court, he will probably become Liu Changyou's second.