Chapter 61 Jade Seat Bead Curtain (18-2)

It is good that things happened for a reason. Everyone heard that when Feng Daye was killed, Chen Guorui, who was passing by Tianjin, was not without incitement.There were rumors among the people that the eyes of the French abducted children were gouged out as many as a pot, and Chen Guorui had already brought them into Beijing.According to Luo Shuya's investigation, this was a rumor spread by Chen Guorui himself, and he was incited by framing, so he was ordered to resist his life. "Luo Shuya didn't just talk about his death, he really had such an idea. Zhongtang, I think we have to stand firm first so that he can shut his mouth."

"Oh!" Zeng Guofan said: "I want to listen to the words of standing firm. How do we stand, and how does his mouth seal?" "There is no need to wait for him to submit a formal note, we will handle it first. The reason why such a huge case has occurred in the local area is because the local officials can't guide it in normal times and prevent problems before they happen. It is also possible to take the road, the government, and the county to remove their posts first and wait for investigation. It’s a sinful thing.” Zeng Guofan kept shaking his head: "Although I don't hesitate to offend Qing Yi, I still dare not do such a thing."

"The central hall..." "Di Weng!" Zeng Guofan interrupted him, "This matter is difficult to discuss." The water in the mouth can't get in, Chong Hou can't get away.On the second day, Luo Shuya came to see Zeng Guofan again, and made a lot of noises. The general officer was afraid that he would get angry and he was ill, so he didn't dare to translate it on the spot.But Luo Shuya's ferocious expression is obvious to all.And shortly after leaving, an official note was sent, with a Chinese translation attached, which actually demanded that Zhang Guangzao, Liu Jie, and Chen Guorui be killed, and that the murderer be strictly arrested and executed immediately.

"The opportunity to fight is imminent." Li Shuchang lowered his voice and said to Xue Fucheng, "Let's think of a way to protect Zhongtang first, and then send the note up." "There is no other way but to transfer Ming Junfei to Tianjin." Most of the Ming army was stationed in the Zhangqiu area at the junction of Shandong and Zhili, and another 3,000 people were led by Liu Mingchuan's general, named as Ding Shouchang, and stationed in Baoding. Only these 3,000 people were transferred. After the discussion was over, I took the note up. Zeng Guofan was a little impatient!He also believed that it was necessary to relocate Ding Shouchang's headquarters to Jinghai near Tianjin as suggested by Li and Xue.But he wasn't thinking about himself, the main thing was to defend the capital so that foreigners wouldn't drive in.Whether it can be stopped is another matter, and it has to be blocked, otherwise it will be impossible to explain any aspect.

"You guys let me calm down and think about it." After the Muyou left, Zeng Guofan wandered around the room alone, thinking about the big plan after going through the front and back, and kept asking himself: "What should I use to fight?" In fact, this has been considered more than once, and I have already made up my mind not to start a quarrel with the French anyway.But now, there is a trend that is difficult to control, and he has to reevaluate the consequences. Naturally, Zeng Guofan thought of the Anglo-French coalition forces ten years ago. At that time, King Monk and Shengbao were the current enemies, Prince Gong and Guiliang were in charge of the Fuju Bureau, and Wen Xiang was in charge of military supplies and the defense of the capital.Now only Ding Shouchang has 3,000 troops, and blocking even one is only to free up a day or two for the empress dowagers and the emperor to "escape" again.

If they hit the capital, they still have to make peace.The British and French allied forces entered Beijing and set fire to the Old Summer Palace. Although the late emperor was furious about this, his illness worsened and he "abandoned the world", but the Old Summer Palace was a separate garden after all.But this time, the French soldiers were sent to Beijing. In order to retaliate, they set fire to Da Nei and burned the Taimiao together. Not only is it not tolerated by the Qing Dynasty, but it is also difficult to explain to future generations.If there is no reconciliation like this, you have to do what you know you can't do, and keep fighting until the world is in chaos, thieves are swarming, internal and external troubles, mutual oppression, and finally the country is subjugated.

Thinking of this, Zeng Guofan's dizziness reappeared again, he felt dizzy and light-headed, so he hurriedly supported the table, groped to lie down on the bed. So the feelings of so many years are stuck in his heart again, everything is inferior to others, everything is empty words, he can only endure the humiliation and work hard.Then I thought of all the new policies since the Pingding of Hong Yang, the Fujian Shipping Administration managed by Shen Baozhen, the large-scale Shanghai Manufacturing Bureau, the Tongwen Museum in the capital, etc., are finally some consoling achievements.

Because of these achievements, Zeng Guofan felt that reconciliation was the more important, and now he would have the opportunity to avenge his shame in the future, otherwise the little foundation he just created would be wasted in the flames of war, and he would have to start all over again ?From this we can see that my purpose of not starting a quarrel with France is truly unshakable.Now as long as you survive, you will not hesitate to make any sacrifices. Therefore, when Chonghou came the next day to talk about the dismissal of all Tianjin provinces, prefectures, and counties, pending investigation, he actually agreed.It was decided that the official secretary Ding Shouchang would act as the agent of Tianjin Road. The prefecture and the county were both in short supply. Chonghou recommended one surnamed Ma and the other surnamed Xiao as agents. It is said that these two people are very familiar with the area of ​​Tianjin. , Zeng Guofan also agreed.

The memorial between him and Chong Hou has not yet arrived in Beijing, and the Prime Minister’s Office has already received a tough note from the French minister, as well as the news that Luo Shuya has held frequent meetings with their naval admiral in Tianjin. It seems that the war could start at any time.Bao Yun was so anxious that he couldn't eat, and he only blamed himself for his bad luck. However, King Gong and Wen Xiang were both on sick leave, so there was such a difficult situation, and the three people on the military plane couldn't work together.Li Hongzao insisted that "people's hearts must not be lost", and he was supported by Chun Wang and Qing Yi, and his speech was quite powerful.It seems that the situation is difficult to achieve, and the flames of war are about to break out. How can this heavy burden be lifted?

"I also know that you can't take this burden off your shoulders." The Empress Dowager Cixi heard Baojun's Chen Zou and decided to deal with it: "Now I can only urge Wenxiang to sell the holidays quickly, and let Prince Gong come to the palace to see the papers. The country has arrived. At this point, he has no choice but to act as quickly as possible.” With personal friendship, Bao Jun couldn't bear to put this heavy burden on the shoulders of the sick and broken King Gong, but the situation forced him to do nothing, so he had to obey the order. "I don't want to make a mess like this!" The Empress Dowager Cixi said with a gloomy expression: "For a while, our sisters have been so worried that we can't sleep. We can't fight, and the hearts of the people are also at stake. We don't know what to do? Someone has to It’s good to come up with an idea. I don’t know what the provinces mean?”

"Ding Richang sent a letter to the slaves saying that it is always better to preserve the peace." As soon as Baojun finished speaking, Li Hongzao interjected: "Ding Baozhen also wrote a letter to my minister, and there are two sentences in it. Please listen to Dasheng." Then, he read in a very clear tone of reading: "If the song is in the He, provocations are not our own, so the use of troops is also a matter of choice." The two men from Jiangsu and Shandong were the top governors. Bao Yun and Li Hongzao confronted each other, and they each held their own importance, so the third person, Shen Guifen, spoke. "Now we need to distinguish the right from the wrong. Zeng Guofan's first statement has already been made very clear. In my humble opinion, the people involved in the situation are more familiar. Since this case has been ordered to be investigated by Zeng Guofan, we must listen to him more. Opinion." These words seemed ordinary, but they were actually a shot in the arm by Li Hongzao.Li Hongzao, like Woren, was ordered to walk in the Prime Minister's Yamen, but he never paid attention to it. "People in the bureau have more knowledge and knowledge" means that he was outside the bureau and was not enough to talk about Western affairs.All the ministers in the Prime Minister's Office were at odds with Li Hongzao, but Shen Guifen was known for his femininity, unlike Dong Xun, who was almost vulgar, so his secret fight with Li Hongzao was not noticed. The three ministers of military aircraft, Bao Jun and Shen Guifen stood aside, and naturally gained the upper hand.At the same time, Li Hongzao is not someone who doesn't understand the situation. He doesn't take the lead in the fight, but just feels that he has the responsibility to speak up for the "righteous people". Once he has said his words, his responsibility has been fulfilled. Therefore, he knows Shen Guifen's words are thorny, so he refrains from speaking. As long as they don't raise an argument, the empress dowagers of the two palaces are happy for them to talk more, so the empress dowager Cixi asked the court and the people's views on this matter, and most of them were impassioned, and few dared to speak for foreigners.This is somewhat of a comfort to the Empress Dowagers of the Two Palaces. But once the memorial of Zeng Guofan and Chonghou arrived in Beijing, this comfort became an extremely heavy burden.In the memorial, he avenges the grievances of foreigners, pointing out that "the theory of teaching the people to gouge their eyes and dissect their hearts, and harming the living people is mostly false." One is the injustice of the Xueyang people, and the other is to solve the confusion of the scholars and the people." This is already a matter of long-term consideration. It is necessary to remove the three officials from Tianjin Road, the government, and the county to investigate and deal with them, and send troops to suppress them. arrest the murderer", then it must not be taken lightly. What if you don't allow it?Bao Yun and Dong Xun have said it countless times, if you don't follow foreigners, you will start a war.Whether it is peace or war, the empress dowagers of the two palaces cannot make any decisions. Empress Dowager Cixi also felt that this matter should not only listen to the opinions of a few people, so she summoned Prince Gong and the minister of military affairs who came to the palace to see the results on the first day of illness, and ordered the imperial court to be summoned. Meeting. ※ ※ ※ The Hall of Mental Cultivation was too small, and the Empress Dowager could not go out to court, so she decided to gather in the West Nuan Pavilion of Qianqing Palace.A total of 19 people were summoned, divided into four parts, the first is relatives and nobles, King Dun and King Fu.The second is the important ministers, the four ministers of Guanwen, Ruichang, Zhu Fengbiao, and Woren, and the four ministers of military aircraft headed by King Gong.The third is the close ministers, the former imperial ministers Chun Wang, Jing Shou, and Boyan Nemo Gu, and the generals walking in the Hongde Hall, Weng Tonghe, Gui Qing, and Guangshou.The fourth is the prime ministers in charge of Westernization, Dong Xun and Mao Changxi.Except for King Fu, the other eighteen people all arrived at Qianqing Palace around noon, led by King Dun, and entered the hall to salute.The Minister of Military Aircraft and the Prime Minister kneel on the east side, and the rest kneel on the west side. Qianqing Palace is the emperor's official bedroom. Before Kangxi, the emperor was in charge of government in Linxuan, received congratulations and banquets every year, and summoned his ministers and workers every day. It was the most magnificent palace in the inner court. It symbolizes the "Ninth Five-Year Respect".There are thrones on the three couplets in the middle, and a plaque written by Shunzhi imperial pen between the lintels: "Upright and bright".Since the "seizing the heir" dispute in the last years of Kangxi, starting from Yongzheng, the system of establishing a reserve was abolished, and the succession of the throne was sealed by the title of the emperor's imperial pen and a brocade box. This brocade box was hidden in the "highest place in the palace" Behind the "Fair and Bright" plaque. The three couplets on the left are Dongnuang Pavilion, formerly known as "Yizhai". Since Emperor Gaozong got the three-link post from Wang Xizhi's father and son, which is a peerless rare treasure, and collected it here, it was also titled "Sanxitang". The three couplets on the right are Xinuang Pavilion, inscribed "Greenhouse", a piece of "Qianqing Palace Inscription" hung high by Emperor Gaozong.At that time, it was in its heyday, and Gaozong was enjoying a new year, so the last paragraph of the inscription is the following six sentences: "Five blessings are applied to tin, ten thousand countries are in Xianning, dare to rely on admiring the residence, feel reserved, cautious and responsible, but the emperor is always clear Now, the empress dowagers of the two palaces and the 15-year-old emperor are sitting under this inscription, summoning the "uneasy" relatives and important ministers for the sake of "unrest in the country". The ceremony was divided into classes, and all the eunuchs were ordered to leave the hall. At this time, the Empress Dowager Cixi said in a low voice: "The teaching case in Tianjin, I didn't expect it to be so troublesome! Now the French are very savage. Zeng Guofan's book, think about it." You have all seen it at the Military Aircraft Department. If you want to be a local official and want to take the civilians who killed foreigners, what should you do about this matter? We sisters can’t think of an idea, so we asked everyone to discuss it. If you have something to say, just say it!” On such an occasion, King Dun should be the first to speak, he had prepared it long ago, and after a moment of silence, he began to speak: "Zeng Guofan is not unreasonable and inconsiderate of his subordinates, and his book is a big last resort. But the people are the foundation of the state, and if the hearts of the people are lost, the world will disintegrate. So this matter must be cautious.” Saying these few words is equivalent to not saying anything.The King Chun under his shoulders was different, and he seemed very excited when he spoke, "People's hearts are right!" He said loudly, "The local officials in Tianjin are not guilty. Zhang Guangzao and Liu Jie are usually very good officials. They Of course, you can’t favor the people and try to please the foreigners. When the incident broke out, it’s all because of Feng Daye who was too barbaric, and he just shot him with a gun. Is this still true? If we say about Chinese envoys, they are also like this in France. Reasonably speaking, shooting an official would also cause public outrage. As for Chen Guorui, who passed by Tianjin, he said a few words of praise for the righteous people, which showed his loyalty and bravery. From the perspective of France, they are guilty, but from the perspective of China, why should they be guilty? Their crimes were placed by the Prime Minister’s Office, and we are still investigating. The Prime Minister’s Office pleaded guilty for the righteous people in Tianjin first. Note to the French Minister, saying that the “perpetrator” in Tianjin is equal to me. Enemy of the Qing Dynasty', this wording is too inappropriate! Some people also say that the people of Tianjin killed the French for no reason, just to rob and plunder. How can you feel at ease when you falsely accuse the righteous people?" That passage was said by Bao Jun, and he had to argue: "Qizou, the two empress dowagers and the emperor, and Qi Ye's reprimand, a slave can't bear it! When the church was burned, there was a lot of looting. There are well-documented records. " "Take advantage of the fire to rob, there is always." Empress Dowager Cixi explained for them, "There is no need to mention this level now." "I have a defense." Dong Xun shouted. "Okay! Tell me!" Empress Dowager Cixi warned: "Let's talk about the matter, don't get angry." "Yes!" Dong Xun replied in a voice full of grievances: "The ministers are ordered to negotiate with foreigners, and the clan society is the most important thing in everything. Foreigners have a lot of bad tempers, and the ministers have been angry for a day. Outsiders don't forgive them." , There are also a lot of laughing and cursing. The ministers always think about the words of being humiliated and heavy. It is nothing to be able to "seek perfection" for the court and "grievance" for themselves. Officials sincerely serve the country, and know that now is not the time to start quarrels with foreigners. If you do more guidance on weekdays, you will not cause the people to hate each other. The common people should also be considerate of the country. , the country’s power is declining. You can’t afford to provoke foreigners, but you want to provoke him. If you provoke such a situation, isn’t it tantamount to enmity with the Qing Dynasty?” Dong Xun said it in one breath, he was getting old and couldn't help panting, so he had to stop for a while, but King Chun didn't allow him to continue, so he refuted: "It is absolutely impossible to say that the people are against the imperial court! I can’t even say the words myself, let alone say it to foreigners, and put it into words? Let’s ask, do foreigners mistakenly believe that the people are enemies with us, the Qing Dynasty, and don’t they think that the court is isolated and helpless, and it’s getting bigger and bigger, and there is no end? Disrespectful and misguided!" "It's about seeking perfection through grievances." Dong Xun's defense again seemed a little weak, "Of course the wording should be different." "What's the difference?" Seeing King Chun's aggressive demeanor, Empress Dowager Cixi thought to herself, if it leads to the argument of a main battle, it will be difficult to end today, so I have to think of a way, first teach everyone to die the heart of not hesitate to fight, and just go The "Fuju" went up to study, how to negotiate a peace without suffering too much is the right thing to do.Therefore, she shook her hand: "There is no need to argue about these details." Then, with a look of great grief and indignation, she said: "Daoguang and Xianfeng dynasties, we China suffered a lot, and foreigners are our enemies. If you can Think of a plan to wipe out the foreigners, and we sisters are willing to die!" These words moved all the ministers, and they all felt the tone was serious, and they dared not say it easily. The Empress Dowager Cixi looked closely at the faces of the group from the leader, Dun Wang, to Weng Tonghe at the end, and knew that her two words had "suppressed" them, so she said in a soft voice: "The emperor is not yet of age. You have to think about things in the long run, you are all important ministers and close ministers of the country, and you are closely related to each other, which is different from the outside world, you have to put aside your prejudices and think more about the country." Chun Wang is the main side of the battle. Since he has no long-term strategy to completely destroy the foreigners, he dare not say more.Except for Li Hongzao, the military aircraft and the Zongli Yamen are the parties to the peace, so there is no need to say more after hearing the secret support of the Empress Dowager Cixi.In the silence between each other, Wo Ren, as the leader of the Qing Dynasty, had to speak. "Your ignorance," he said, "Zhang Guangzao and Liu Jie, since their official voices are very good, it is not appropriate to add crimes." "Yes, it's not appropriate to add a crime." Rui Chang and Zhu Fengbiao agreed in unison. Because of the high status and esteem of these three people, it was inconvenient for Bao Jun and others to speak. Only King Gong rose up to refute, but he was weak after illness and was unable to speak much. gone." Then there was a stalemate silence again, and Weng Tonghe felt that this was an opportunity for him to speak, so he raised his voice and said, "I have a foolish opinion. The two matters Zeng Guofan asked for are all related to the people of the world, and they are also determined by the right and wrong of the national law. Please ask Zeng Guofan again, if foreigners have no other demands from now on, they can still obey, if they are not sure, they should delay it. It seems that there is no need to make a hasty decision." This is a compromise argument, and it is also in line with the instructions of the Empress Dowager Cixi to "consider from a long-term perspective".The side that is in the main battle thinks that it has to be the second best, at least this should be done, while the side that is in the middle of the peace thinks it is okay to use this as a sign of concession.There was only one Dong Xun, who got angry when he heard Weng Tonghe's words. Dong Xun was criticized by Qing Yi for a long time, and he also had a deep dislike for court officials. What made him hate the most was giving him the nickname "Dong Taishi". This nickname can ruin a lifetime of fame and wealth.Therefore, he always thinks that those famous people who are famous for their knowledge and reputation are empty words and irresponsible. The arguments they make are not enough to achieve success, but more than failure, just like Weng Tonghe in front of him.Zeng Guofan's excerpt, whether it is approved or not, can be judged only by a word from the Empress Dowager Cixi. Although there are many people who oppose it, there are Cixi on the top and Prince Gong on the bottom. They can still get what they want. I don't want Weng Tonghe. Don't you hate it if you end up in a doomed situation? So, he raised his face to Weng Tonghe and said, "I don't know what's going on in Tianjin at this time? There is room for you to ask and answer?" This blurted sentence became alarmist, and the empress dowagers of the two palaces were terrified at first.What Dong Xun meant was that when the big plan was being discussed in this temple, maybe the foreign warships at Dagukou were already firing.Since the end of the war can be started at any time, the question-and-answer exchanges will delay the time, so that important events will be missed.At this moment, those who thought Weng Tonghe was right, felt that his words were also pedantic. So the Empress Dowager Ci'an sighed slightly and said, "With the King Monk here, his cavalry can still keep the foreigners at bay. Now, we have to send a soldier to Beijing for protection." "Yes!" King Gong replied, "I'm waiting for discussion, and I plan to transfer 9,000 people from Zhang Qiu's Ming Army to Beijing. After the discussion is completed, please handle it." "Where is Li Hongzhang?" The Empress Dowager Ci'an asked again, "Where is he at the moment, and what does he say about this case?" "Li Hongzhang is in Tongguan at the moment. He wrote a letter to his ministers, saying that 'it is absolutely impossible to use soldiers', and he can only 'blindly grind' with foreigners." King Dun heard this, and among the governors, there was only one Ding Baozhen who was ready to go to war, but the "Eastern Army" relied entirely on Wang Xin'an, the commander-in-chief, and the two or three thousand people who wanted to take the bandits in the Caozhou area could not be dispatched at all. into Beijing.It seems that we have to follow Zeng Guofan's will, so we can only make up our minds on "bargaining". Therefore, following Prince Gong's words: "Since Zeng Guofan's request to serve as a magistrate and arrest murderers has to be done, then China People who abduct children must be strictly dealt with." This is Dong Xun's idea again, thinking that strict enforcement of kidnappers and provoking foreigners should be lenient, so King Dun said so. This statement aroused the complaints of King Chun, who made a big discussion, saying that he was always unprepared, but he used the four words "nothing to do" to blame him. Since Xianfeng ten years ago, let me ask "what is the preparation "?This is to blame Prince Gong who has been in the country for ten years.In the end, he also had "nothing to do", so he had to ask in writing, "If there are still some inappropriate wording in Lunyin this time," he said vigorously, "I still need to correct it. " The Empress Dowager Cixi nodded, looked at Prince Gong and said, "That kind of 'enemy of the Qing Dynasty' is a bit outrageous!" "Yes!" Prince Gong was exhausted after his illness and was eager to finish the job, so he perfunctorily said to King Jin: "If there is something wrong with the draft plan of the military aircraft, King Jin and others may correct it, and I will accept it humbly." Prince Gong gave face in this way, and it was inconvenient for King Chun to complain anymore, so the imperial meeting came to an end.The time was too long, and all of them sweated through their heavy clothes. The elderly Woren and others even knelt for too long and couldn't stand up, so they had to ask eunuchs to help them. Even so, he still couldn't go home, and was waiting in the court room to read the draft drafted by the Military Aircraft Office. If there was any discrepancy with the court proposal, as King Chun said, "if there is any inappropriate wording" , it can be "corrected" at that time. Jun Ji Zhang Jing's writing is fast, but this day's edict is to include all the opinions issued by the ministers and approved by the officials, and the number of words used is related to the name of the speaker, so After considering the profit and loss, it took three hours to prepare the manuscripts sent by two Mingfa and two courts, and invite everyone to read them. Two revelations are excerpts from Zeng Guofan's original story, defending foreigners that "the theory of teaching people to gouge eyes and heart, and harming living people is mostly false", and reprimanding Tianjin local officials for ineffectiveness and dismissal for investigation.There are two court mails, one is sent to the governors of the coastal provinces, and they are strictly guarded; the other is sent to Zeng Guofan to instruct the big plan, which is naturally the most important, so most of them are scrambling to read this one first, only to see that it is written: "Zeng Guofan and Chonghou found out that the situation in Tianjin is roughly one-fold; in the other piece, please dismiss the prefectures and counties of Tianjin and punish them, all of which have been announced in accordance with the requested Ming Dynasty. Zeng Guofan and others' performances this time are all for elimination The provocation is for the sake of grievances; but the foreigners are cunning and can make progress. If everything goes according to their wishes, where will they stop in the future? It is to end the provocation, but it is still unavoidable. The supervisor will give the envoy a note, Regarding arresting murderers, building temples, etc., I have done my best to agree, and I think that I will not have any different words. After that, if foreigners still say threats and intimidation, Zeng Guofan should use his strength to argue and refute them based on reason, and the common people can defeat the enemy Zhang Guowei is in flames. To prepare for the danger, especially at present is the most urgent task. Zeng Guofan has appointed Ding Shouchang, the official secretary, to act as Tianjin Daozhuan. Arriving at Tongguan on the 6th, Guo Songlin and other troops under his command also arrived in Shaanxi successively. Let Zeng Guofan consider the situation, quickly resume the play, and then issue an edict. How will the handling situation be in the future? Can it be concluded quickly and be played at any time. In short, the peace situation should be preserved, and the hearts of the people must not be lost! , the overall situation is coordinated, and the people are convinced, so that China and the world can live in peace. The governors along the river and the coast have sent orders today to order them to be on strict alert. Was Chen Guorui present at the time? Order the admiral to go to Tianjin to wait for Zeng Guofan's investigation. I will tell you this from five hundred miles away. Qin here." This court letter was actually handled according to the intention of Zeng Guofan and the Prime Minister's Office, and on the surface, the argument that the main battle side valued popular support had been fully adopted, so everyone had nothing to say. Looking at the two Ming Dynasty's edicts, citing Zeng Guofan's original performance, the style of writing is not smooth, and it is almost fragmented.Weng Tonghe was thinking in his heart that if he did it like this, it would surely attract criticism and he would have to reconsider.But looking at the sun outside the window, it was already westward, and the manuscript had to be cleared, and the empress dowagers had to "please get it up", and the time was limited, and there was absolutely no time for careful consideration, so I just put up with it. When King Gong entered the audience, it took another three minutes before it was considered appropriate. The court mailed it immediately, and Mingfa was brought back to the cabinet by Wo Ren for processing.When leaving the palace, the key was about to be released, but there was a fast horse galloping towards him, and a note from Chonghou was delivered to Tianjin, saying that Zeng Guofan was seriously ill, and another minister Jian was invited to preside over it. ※ ※ ※ Zeng Guofan's illness is getting worse, but his gods are not fading, and he has not reached the point where he is bedridden and unable to govern.Even if the disease got worse, it was also forced by Chong Hou, and indirectly by the British Minister Wade. When the church was burned, Li Weihai, the British consul in Tianjin, contacted the consuls of various countries and organized a "self-defense force" called "Baoqiao".When Luo Shuya arrived in Tianjin, the old and cunning Wade Ma volunteered to accompany him and instigated him behind the scenes.At first, they demanded that Tianjin Prefecture and Chen Guorui be killed, but later they revealed that the compensation for the loss should be at least several million silver, and at least three or four hundred murderers should be executed.The "Shenbao" from Shanghai also contained the British's arguments, saying that force must be used to warn the Chinese officials and people.At the same time, Chonghou found out that Luo Shuya not only held meetings with the admiral of the French Navy every day, but also that 2,000 foreign soldiers had arrived, and the number of foreign warships at Dagukou and Yantai was also increasing day by day. These news frightened Chonghou, if a war broke out, the main faction of the imperial court would do what they wanted, and if they were held accountable, they would be the first to kill him, at least for the crime of exile.This is unavoidable, if the army fails to negotiate a peace, the minister of the main battle will be killed, and if the peace agreement breaks down, if there is a war, the leader and the most powerful people will be killed to inspire morale.For this reason, he went to see Zeng Guofan several times a day and repeatedly stated that he must agree to Luo Shuya's request in the note, otherwise catastrophe would be imminent. Zeng Guofan dismissed Zhang Guangzao and Liu Jie from his posts and asked to be punished. He already felt guilty and remorseful, so how could he listen to Chonghou again?In the end, he couldn't be forced, so he expressed his attitude half-truthfully. "Foreigners must be in moderation." Zeng Guofan still maintained his calm and soothing voice, "Don't think that if I don't want to start a war, I'm afraid that I won't defend myself! I have dispatched troops from all walks of life to Tianjin, and the ordnance was sailed by the Shanghai Manufacturing Bureau. Hurry up, the army rations, the 20,000 shi rice purchased in Fujian, please stop it. It's really hard to get through, so I have to deal with him." Chonghou was inexplicably astonished, "Zhongtang," he murmured, "I didn't know there were these arrangements!" "Now you know." Zeng Guofan closed his eyes and stroked his beard, and then said: "Since I recruited bravely to suppress the bandits, I have already been in the country. Fortunately, Shengzuo is long, and the soldiers have used their lives to wipe out the giant bandits. Many, there are also Li Shaoquan, Zuo Jigao, Peng Xueqin, Yang Houan, who are not thinking about the difficulties, and keep the kingdom in mind? Even if I am sick and sick, I will die soon, and there will be people after me, so I don’t necessarily have to fight with foreigners can not fight!" After saying these words, Chonghou couldn't continue the conversation, and he was full of surprises. He couldn't judge whether Zeng Guofan's words were true or not.He also knew that Zeng Guofan had always been careful in his affairs, and had a group of extremely capable aides, so it was not impossible to secretly dispatch troops.Looking at it like this, maybe Zeng Guofan's one-sidedness in front of him is just a tactic to delay the army. When the army arrives, the same statement will be made, then the overall situation must be broken! Thinking about it this way, he felt that Zeng Guofan's presence in Tianjin was harmful but not beneficial, and he was unable to invite him away.Unexpectedly, Zeng Guofan became very unhappy because of Chonghou's obsessive flattering of the enemy and being too aggressive, and his dizziness became more and more serious, so that the guest vomited and fell on the bed.Chonghou had an idea, and took advantage of this opportunity to fly to Zeng Guofan who was seriously ill and unable to do anything.This was a very impolite move, but according to Chonghou's thinking, this not only saved himself, but also saved Zeng Guofan, allowing him to unload a heavy burden and return to Baoding to recover from his illness. In the same memorial, Chonghou also said that the French envoy had proposed a deadline for officials to arrive at their appointments, and if there was no definite reply by four o'clock in the afternoon on the second day of the obeisance, the French warships would send troops ashore to attack the capital. , and there were as many as nine warships from various countries at Dagukou in just one or two days. It was four o'clock in the afternoon on the second day after Chonghou worshiped the book when the book was delivered to the capital.If it is said that a break has been made, it is too late, and the deadline is too tight, which makes people feel that it is unreasonable and purely empty words and intimidation.Therefore, Prince Gong, who was ordered to enter the palace to see the fold, didn't pay much attention to this level. However, Zeng Guofan fell ill in bed, but he had to pay attention to it.King Gong and the prime ministers all know that Chonghou is not well respected externally, he is underestimated by the enemy, internally he is not in harmony with love, and is often slandered, and he can no longer gain a foothold in Tianjin. It is necessary.The embarrassing thing is where can I find this "important minister" who can handle foreign affairs? "This is a pit of fire, whoever it is will be unlucky!" Bao Jun said with a wry smile, "Whether the peace agreement can be reached or not is another matter, first we have to let those 'Qingliu' scold them enough!" What he said was half complaint and half truth.Shen Guifen was more calm and calm, thinking that once Baojun's words were heard, it would be more difficult to find someone, so she immediately said: "Although this is the case, things have to be looked at from both sides. If the fuju that failed to be completed is completed, it will enjoy a great name. Besides, if it has made great contributions to the country, the imperial court will not treat it lightly." "That's right!" Prince Gong made a wish, "Whoever takes off this burden, I will definitely protect him, or change the hat, or adjust the errand, the empress dowagers of the two palaces have to obey." With this sentence, someone immediately volunteered, that is Mao Changxi, who was sent by the Minister of the Ministry of War to walk in the Prime Minister's Yamen.He is from Henan, and he was also one of the Hanlin who joined the army in the early years of Xianfeng. He has always held regiment training in his hometown.But as the saying goes, "If there is no credit, there is hard work." In the eyes of Empress Dowager Cixi and Prince Gong, he is a person who is willing to contribute to the court.Mao Changxi himself, among the bureaucrats of the Beijing Dynasty, took the name of Zhibing, and regarded those ministers who started as Hanyuan and were promoted to ministers and ministers as scholars.At this time, because the French minister threatened with a warship, he believed that with the dual qualifications of Minister of the Ministry of War and Prime Minister, he should see the reality, so he resolutely asked for orders, intending to turn the war into jade, which is a good thing for fame and fortune. Since he was willing to avoid danger, and he was a member of the Prime Minister's Office, he knew the court's intentions and the whole case well, so Prince Gong naturally accepted it.However, as a result of close discussions with Bao Yun and Shen Guifen, it was believed that Ding Richang was the first to be a talented person in foreign affairs. If the peace agreement really broke down, Li Hongzhang had to defend Gyeonggi.In addition, Liu Mingchuan, who took the title of admiral of Zhili under the pretext of being sick, should also be recruited.After agreeing on these measures, I immediately went to the palace to ask for an order to make a decision. In the past few days, because the wife of Chengen Gong Huicheng died of illness, Empress Dowager Cixi, who was the eldest daughter of her own, was deeply saddened, and the Chang Dynasty of the Hall of Mental Cultivation was temporarily exempted.At this time, only Prince Gong "passed the sign", and the empress dowagers of the two palaces summoned them in the Palace of Qin'an in the Imperial Garden, and they agreed to play as soon as they played, and the decree was issued on the same day.In name, he still respected Zeng Guofan and asked him to preside over the negotiations in Tianjin. However, he ordered Ding Richang to go to Tianjin quickly to help him deal with it because "the governor is seriously ill, and he may not be able to take care of him in time." Ten days later, send Mao Changxi to Tianjin for the meeting." At the same time, "Order Li Hongzhang to lead the troops to Jijiang, and wait for the order to be dispatched." So Mao Changxi took four entourages and rushed to Tianjin from the capital starry night to prepare for a meeting with "foreign officials". Mao Changxi's four attendants were Wu Yuanbing, Minister of the Imperial Academy, Liu Xihong, member of the Criminal Ministry, Zhang Jing, Chen Qin, and Yun Zuyi of the Prime Minister's Office.He is called "General Office" in Zhangjing of the Zongli Yamen, just like "Dalami" in Zhangjing of the military aircraft, and "Tang Langzhong" in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who is the head of the officials.Zeng Guofan knew Mao Changxi very well and didn't pay much attention to them, but he was full of praise for these four people after talking about them, and he called them "rare talents". What is rare is only one Chen Qin.At the meeting with the French Minister Roshua and the British Minister Wade, he argued with reason and talked eloquently, citing the public laws prevailing in various countries, pointing out that Feng Daye should be responsible for inciting conflicts, and at the same time said that apart from repairing the church and paying money, Tianjin prefectures and counties have been dismissed and handed over to the criminal department for investigation. The arrest of the murderer is being handled by the new Tianjin magistrate. The two culprits, Ansan and Wangsan, have been released according to Luo Shuya's request. What China should do has not only been done, but also gone too far. There can be no further concessions. Luo Shuya was so refuted that he had nothing to say, and he insisted on insisting on the request of officials to resist their lives, which became unreasonable, and naturally Wade couldn't provoke him.When the meeting broke up unhappily, Luo Shuya and Wade Ma probably felt that the Prime Minister's Yamen would be easier to deal with, and they left Tianjin and went to Beijing. When Chonghou saw the situation, it was time to escape.One handed over the duties of the three ministers of trade and commerce, and relieved the responsibility of negotiating in Tianjin. Moreover, he was afraid that Luo Shuya would find trouble with the prime minister's office if he failed to get a bargain in Tianjin. .Therefore, using the reason of "inviting the envoy to France to enter the capital", he bowed and went, followed Luo Shuya, and rushed into Beijing. Chonghou blindly flatters outsiders and cannot see clearly everything, but Zeng Guofan is still a god. He knows that the bad thing about this negotiation is that he misunderstood Chonghou's preconceived words. , made the marksmanship a little messy.After calming down and thinking about it, I felt that Luo Shuya's attitude was strange. If it was as tough as it was at the beginning, the meeting would break down, and then the French soldiers would land ashore. Why did they quietly enter Beijing without saying anything? This doubt was quickly dispelled.The "telegram" from the United Kingdom to Calcutta, the capital of Bengal, India, came the news that Prussia had started war with France, which was caused by a revolution in Spain, the queen was deposed, and a relative of the king of Prussia was ready to be crowned king of Spain.法国的皇帝，老拿破仑的侄子，称为“拿破仑第三”的，表示反对。于是普鲁士王遣大将毛奇，领兵进攻法国。在大沽口的法国水师提督，就因为国内正有战事，必须待命行动，所以拒绝了罗叔亚的要求，怎么样也不肯开衅。 “天佑吾华！”曾国藩大大地松了口气，知道仗是打不起来了，至少限度可以说，要法国国内再派援兵，是不会有的事。 “中堂！”薛福成说，“法国既有内顾之忧，我们这里何妨乘机利用？” “不然，不然！”曾国藩大为摇头，“你莫想到《战国策》上的话！普、法两国的国情形势，几乎一无所知，而想利用重洋万里以外的战局，如何可以！这个论调发不得，一发助长了主战诸公的虚骄之气。为今之计，正宜把握良机，奏请慈圣，执持定见，促成和议。请你去拟个奏稿来，普法开仗的事，只字不可提！” “是的！”薛福成心诚悦服，“中堂这才是老成谋国！” 这个奏折由曾国藩和毛昶熙会衔拜发，主旨是“请中外一体，坚持定见”，决不用兵，但兵可不用，不可不备。本打算着“投荒万里之行”，有几年苦头可吃的李鸿章，忽然得此际遇，精神抖擞地星夜带兵入卫，一路行军，一路不断上奏，同时行文军行所经各地督抚，要求供应军需。曾国藩是替他办惯了粮台的，将福建船政局购办的“京米”，截留了两万石，存放在天津，专等李鸿章和刘铭传来领。 除了李鸿章，丁日昌亦已奉旨北上，他也是来“跳火坑”的。启行之前，先上个奏折，说“自古以来，局外之议论，不谅局中之艰难，然一唱百和，亦足以荧听闻而挠大计，卒之事势决裂，国家受无穷之累，而局外不与其祸，反得力持清议之名”，自道“臣每读书至此，不禁痛哭流涕”，因而提出看法“现在事机紧急，守备则万不可缺，至于或战或和，应由宸衷独断，不可为众论所摇”。这番话的意思，与曾国藩一样，都是请两宫太后“谋划必须决断”，抱定主旨，决无更改。言外之意，都指醇王、李鸿藻、倭仁那些人的话，万不可听。 因为如此，没有人再发主战的议论，但一口怨气不出，都发泄在曾国藩头上。有的公然指责，有的写信质问，大致以前骂崇厚的话，现在都用来骂他，态度最激烈的则是他的同乡，甚至要把他悬在湖广会馆的那块“道光戊戌科会试中式第三十八名进士、殿试三甲第四十二名，赐同进士出身”的匾额撤除。 以曾国藩的德高望重，尚且被骂得如此不亦乐乎，总理衙门和涉及到这件教案的部院，自然深具戒心。曾国藩挨骂最厉害的一件事，就是官声甚好的张光藻、刘杰撤任，解交刑部治罪，如果刑部真的治了罪，必然又受清议攻击，变成替人受过。刑部尚书郑敦谨，当然不会这么傻，所以当直隶臬司钱鼎铭将此两人解送刑部时，主管的直隶司郎中，拒绝收领。接着，军机承旨，发了一道上谕：“罗叔亚无理要挟，所请府县抵偿一节，万无允准之理。传谕钱鼎铭将张光藻等解赴天津，并令曾国藩等，取具该府县等亲供，以期迅速了结。”既不说治罪，亦不说免议，不知“如何迅速了结”？使得钱鼎铭深感为难。 在曾国藩，明知刑部有意推卸责任，不但没有什么不快，反觉欣然，认为补过的机会到了，听张光藻和刘杰要请病假，一口答应。于是张、刘二人，当天离开天津，躲到外县去“避风头”。 缉凶的事，他一样也不起劲。毛昶熙看看情势不妙，曾国藩口说“不惜得罪清议”，又说“眼前事大，千秋事小”，其实既畏清议，亦惜千秋之名。他新补了崇厚的遗缺，兼署“三口通商大臣”，会办交涉职责所在，不得不天天催曾国藩“拿办凶手”。 一拿拿了三十多名，都是“水火会”中人，由新任天津知县萧世本审问，因为听审的百姓极多，萧世本不敢不慎重，这样便又拖延下来了。