Chapter 170 Mother and Son Monarch and Minister (12-2)

"Li Hongzhang is really amazing!" Zai Yi shouted loudly: "The Russians protect him, and the Kaiser also protects him! He has done things for foreigners!" "That's not what you said!" King Qing used the words of Empress Dowager Cixi: "There is no country in China or abroad that can fight endlessly." "I didn't fight! But I want to make peace." "Then..." King Qing's voice was extremely heavy, but he lost his breath all of a sudden, dragging out a long tail.He wanted to reply: "Then you can fight! Let's see how capable you are?" This was an angry thought for a while, and before the words came to his mouth, he knew that he couldn't say that, and he cut it off abruptly, which is why he had such a weird idea. tone.

"My lord!" Chongqi said: "This is the Military Affairs Department, just dispatch troops and generals, how can we talk about peace?" Although King Qing may not have much talent, he was able to deal with Chongqi and his ilk with ease. He immediately replied: "Okay! Let's talk about military affairs. Now outside Dagu, there are many foreign warships arriving. Outside the customs, Russia They also have bad intentions. Not to mention whether there are any changes in the south, the situation in these two places alone is difficult enough. The outside of the customs is the fundamental place, and it is beyond reach. , the armies of various countries are rushing straight in, please advise, how can we keep the capital?"

"Of course Tianjin must be defended!" Zai Yi replied quickly. "Then, is there enough troops?" King Qing also said very quickly: "There are only Nie Shicheng and Ma Yukun's two armies there, and if there is one miss, it will be a big gap!" "If there is a gap," Xu Tong said confidently, "The God of Justice will be able to plug it." King Qing smiled and remained silent.It was an expression of contempt to laugh it off, and of course Xu Tong felt very uncomfortable.However, he still didn't dare to offend King Qing, so he looked at Zaiyi with a look of pleading for help.

Zaiyi has also seen that the Boxers are not reliable, but it is inconvenient to say that the Boxers are useless, and on the other hand, although the Boxers cannot "destroy the foreigners", they can also be used to "help the Qing Dynasty" - to help the eldest brother take over.Zaiyi has already stolen one of the twenty or so royal seals hidden in the Jiaotai Palace. If necessary, he can take advantage of the ignorance of the Boxers to break into the deep palace and usurp the truth first, and then use it for private possession. The imperial seal, the imperial edict, and the name of the false Yizhi are later.Therefore, knowing Xu Tong's intentions, he had no choice but to pretend he hadn't seen him, and answered what King Qing said.

"Reinforcements will arrive in Tianjin soon. Xia Xinyou, the commander-in-chief of Dengzhou in Shandong, is already on his way, and Yuan Weiting will send another 3,000 people." Zaiyi paused for a moment, then said in a very excited voice: "Li Jiantang Volunteer to volunteer, we have already recruited sixteen battalions of Xiangyongs to go north!" As he spoke, he took out a telegram and showed it to King Qing. King Qing was greatly surprised that Li Jiantang was Li Bingheng, a man who started from a prefecture and county, and became a governor, with a reputation of being a virtuous person.Last year, due to the resolute recommendation, the imperial envoy inspected the Yangtze River Navy. This was a mission specially set up for Peng Yulin, and his status was above the governor. Therefore, the eight governors along the Yangtze River jointly called Ronglu and suggested "self-protection in the southeast" That is led by Li Bingheng.However, this is the only telegram listed. In the future, regarding self-protection in the southeast, only under the contact of Sheng Xuanhuai, the governor of Liangjiang Liu Kunyi, the governor of Huguang Zhang Zhidong, and the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi Li Hongzhang presided over the consultation.Although we know that Li Bingheng's attitude has changed, but it is surprising that the master and the other will fight for the master and lead the army to serve the king anyway, so I read Li Bingheng's telegram very carefully.

In the telegram, of course, there was a generous statement of loyalty and enthusiasm, but there were only four important words in it: "Western soldiers specialize in water skills, but not good at land warfare. If you draw them deep, you will definitely wipe them out." Seeing this, King Qing shook his head greatly: "This statement is too dangerous! Beijing and Tianjin are close together, where does the 'introduction to depth' lead?" He said to Zaiyi: "Second brother, don't listen to him! Thinking that it doesn’t matter if Tianjin is lost, and you can set up an ambush to invite an attack. Back then, the monk king was so brave, it was because of this idea that he suffered a big loss.”

"Oh? What's going on?" "In the eighth year of Xianfeng, the monk king guarded Dagukou. That is to say, the foreigners were not good at land warfare. They withdrew their Beitang troops and let the enemy land on the shore. But the foreigners' guns are powerful, and the terrain of Tianjin is full of hills and hills, condescending. King Monk's 3,000 Heilongjiang cavalry team fought until only seven people remained, and when King Monk knew he had miscalculated, a big mistake had already been made." King Qing added: "If you really want to say that foreigners are not good at land warfare, I don't think so. The soldiers of the embassy in Dongjiaomin Lane are less than a thousand, and the Gan army is several times larger than them, and they are still unable to attack. It is conceivable who is good and who is not."

King Qing's previous words were exaggerated, they were insulting Zaiyi, Xu and Chong, who didn't understand military affairs at all, but the latter few words were plausible, which made Zaiyi feel a little bit stinging, and he looked a little angry from embarrassment! "Uncle Qing, don't build up other people's ambitions and destroy your own prestige. Although Gan's army is large, its weapons are not good enough. If Rong Zhonghua hadn't made trouble to hinder his legs and was willing to give cannons, the embassy would have been razed to the ground long ago!"

"The cannons were fired in the capital, and they were fired from south to north. Even the empress dowager can't take responsibility for this matter." The meaning of these words is that they are afraid of ruining the spiritual seats of the ancestors and ancestors.It was very useful for King Qing to move this big hat, but Zaiyi was at a loss for words, and even more unreasonable. "Uncle Qing, anyway, no matter what you say, you can't change your generals before the battle, and Li Shaoquan must never be transferred directly to the governor!" King Qing felt that his words were harsh and displeased, so he put on a big hat again: "Is there any decree?"

"There is Yizhi..." Zaiyi suddenly cut off the words. Although it was only half a sentence, the unfinished words can also be guessed from the tone, which is "no way" or "doesn't work".King Qing was terrified, thinking in his heart, Zaiyi was going to defy the order openly!It seems that the disaster is not far away. After a long silence, he got up and left without saying a word. ※ ※ ※ Ronglu's cannon finally had to be used, and this time it was Zaiyi who entered the palace to invite him. The concern that "the cannon has no eyes and will hit the hall" must of course be brought up. Zaiyi said nothing, saying that the cannon mounts were built outside the Dong'an Gate, and the artillery shells were fired from north to south. The British embassy was just about to explode, and it will never endanger the important places.

Empress Dowager Cixi felt that what she said was reasonable, so she called Ronglu into the palace and confessed to her face to face.This time there was no excuse, Rong Lu had no choice but to agree, but on one condition, the cannon could not be lent to the Gan army, and he had to send his own team to operate it.Empress Dowager Cixi also agreed. Cannon is in the Wuwei Central Army under the command of Ronglu himself. There is a special "flowering artillery team". The commander is Zhang Huaizhi, whose style name is Zizhi.The brains of the artillery department are relatively clear. Zhang Huaizhi pulled the cannon into the city, set up the cannon position, and calibrated the gauge. He thought to himself, if this cannon goes down, the ministers of various countries gathered in the British Legation will die nine times and kill a Klinder. , has caused an uproar, killing all the ministers of various countries, isn't the responsibility even heavier? Thinking about it this way, he strictly admonished the "cannon target", and anyone who gave the order to fire unless he was personally present at the scene should refuse.After repeated instructions, Fang Shi got on his horse and went straight to Ronglu's mansion to ask for an audience. When Rong Lu had time to meet with an artillery commander, he sent someone to ask, why do you want to see him?Zhang Huaizhi replied: "The cannon has been calibrated. As long as the cannon is fired, it will definitely hit the British Legation. If it falls elsewhere, I would like to lead the army. However, without Zhongtang's handwritten order, I will never fire the cannon!" "What's the matter? Is there still a note from Zhongtang?" "Yes!" Zhang Huaizhi replied, "It must be done." The visitor did not say a word, turned around and went inside, telling the truth about Zhang Huaizhi's attitude.After Rong Lu listened, he was silent and just walked around in circles in the study. This is the biggest problem he has encountered since he became an official, and it is also the most difficult decision in his life in public and private accidents.If he disobeyed the order, not to mention that he would fall out of favor from now on, and Zaiyi, surrounded by foreigners and the Boxers, became dizzy, mad and mentally disturbed. Maybe he would do something unexpected, and his life might be lost.If the guns were fired according to the order, the disaster would be out of control.Fame in one life is the second most important thing to pay for, and the culprit will be punished in the future. The letter handed over to Zhang Huaizhi is an ironclad proof that capital crimes are hard to come by. After lingering for an hour, Zhang Huaizhi got impatient and asked someone to press him for questioning. Rong Lu had no choice but to reply, "Tell him, you have already given him an order, what more do you need?" The visitor conveyed it as he said, but Zhang Huaizhi was more calm, "That's right," he said, "Zhongtang gave me the order to fire the cannon into the city to bombard the British Legation. However, the artillery rules are different from others. , everything has been arranged, and the commander has to personally order: 'Let go!' before he can let go. Excuse me, and then go back with Zhongtang. Excuse me, excuse me!" Then he gave a military salute. This person had no choice but to walk for him again, but just as he turned around, he stopped for Zhang Huaizhi again. "Please slow down! There is a saying, please do tell Zhongtang that you need a written order!" Zhang Huaizhi added: "There is no evidence for what you say." "Okay! I'll speak for you." The man spoke with a Shandong accent and sneered slightly: "My fellow, you probably don't want to be that leader anymore." Having said that, he tactfully transferred the conversation for him, Rong Lu sighed and said: "This guy is so powerful! It's almost killing people." So, Fu hesitated again, asking each other from heart to heart, and finally came up with a plan to balance both ends.But this strategy can only be understood, not explained in words, if Zhang Huaizhi can't comprehend it, it will still be a waste of time.Thinking of this, he sighed again, "Look at the good fortune!" He said, "Tell him that there is no handbook, and the cannon must be fired. Anyway, the palace can hear it." "yes!" "You heard my words clearly!" Rong Lu specially reminded: "According to my words, tell him exactly what I said, neither one word missing nor one more word!" The man repeated it, and every word was correct, and he came back and said to Zhang Huaizhi: "Zhongtang said: 'There is no handbook, and the cannon has to be fired. Anyway, the palace can hear it!'" Zhang Huaizhi was stunned. "Here," he asked, "what does Zhongtang mean?" "Who knows? Go home and think about it slowly!" Zhang Huaizhi got on the horse in dismay, walked all the way, thought all the way, and when he was about to reach Dong'anmen, he suddenly realized the magical effect of Ronglu, and suddenly felt light and smooth all over his body.After getting to the gun position, I fiddled with the gauge for a long time before giving the order to fire. "Pay attention to the target, right ahead, the British Legation." Zhang Huaizhi shouted the five characters "British Legation" very loudly, stopped for a while and shouted: "Let go!" The cannon eye pulled the breech bolt in response, and there was a loud noise, and the shells burst through the air, flying over the city wall, and then there was another loud noise, and the smoke and dust filled the sky between Zhengyangmen Street and Chongwenmen Street in the outer city, but the shells were unknown. Where did it land? ※ ※ ※ Ronglu lived in Dongchang Hutong, not far from Dong'anmen, so the sound of the cannons was shocking, which was particularly shocking.He didn't expect Zhang Huaizhi to act so quickly, he was shocked by surprise, and even more impatient, he got up from the rattan couch in a hurry, shouting: "Hurry up and get the binoculars, hurry up and get the binoculars!" While speaking, he ran towards the back garden and climbed up the rockery out of breath.There are no buildings in Beijing Central University, so you have to go up the rockery to see far away. When you get the binoculars and look south, Fang Shi breathes a long sigh of relief. "Master Chen, please come! See where the shells hit?" "Lord Chen" is Chen Kuilong, the governor of Shuntian Prefecture.Because Rong Lu wanted to ask where the shell landed, he had to check first, so it took a long time for him to arrive. "The shells landed on Caochang Shitiao." Chen Kuilong replied, "The Shanxi ticket office 'Baichuantong' is gone." "Did anyone get hurt?" "How can it not hurt people? There are probably a lot of injuries, and they are being investigated." "Poor!" Rong Lu shook his head, "For no reason to prevent disasters for foreigners!" "Zhongtang!" Chen Kuilong was surprised: "Could it be...?" "Let's be honest, let's be honest! Zhang Huaizhi finally has brains, so we should recommend him if he has the chance." Then, Rong Lu briefly explained how Zhang Huaizhi came to ask for the handwriting. "Zhongtang is really 'smart in use, with one heart in mind'. But thanks to Zhang Tongda, he actually understood the deep meaning of Zhongtang. Although this cannon hurt the people, it saved the country." "That's right! Please give special compensation to the casualties. However, there is no need to tell the truth." "Yes, yes! Kuilong can't even understand this. However, in front of the empress dowager, can this sound be avoided?" "Of course I have a solution." Rong Lu suddenly concentrated his thoughts, and after a while he said, "Everything is forewarned. Xiaoshi, there is something, you should go and prepare quietly. Prepare two hundred carts there." Hearing this sound, Chen Kuilong immediately took a deep breath.The family members of Beijing officials fled one after another, and the Gan army was rampant again, intercepting vehicles to load ordnance and "captured" supplies everywhere, and they could get 200 carts there. "Xiao Shi," Rong Lu saw that he was troubled, and before he could speak, he said, "Half of your future is on this errand. Let me tell you again, nothing is as important as this." Chen Kuilong suddenly realized.Luckily for Cuihua, Ronglu is planning to escape for Empress Dowager Cixi. So he asked, "When should I use it?" "I hope not! Use it, but use it if you say so!" Chen Kuilong thought to himself that Tianjin is the gateway to the capital, and if the two palaces still avoided Jehol as they did in the past, and the expectation of starting the drive depended on the survival of Tianjin, and started looking for a car now, it would not be a major event, so he said with confidence: "I hope I don't need it, if I really want to use it, I will definitely have it." The most important thing to do when resigning from Rongfu is of course to deal with the aftermath of the disaster-stricken areas.The people are very poor, but they are also very honest. In this kind of times, they just blame themselves for not being born at the right time. Now that he was hit by shells, Shuntian Mansion cares for the wounded and died, he has money, rice and a coffin, but he feels that he is very kind and grateful. However, there was one thing that made Chen Kuilong a little worried.It turns out that to the west of Chongwenmen Street, there was a river named Sanli River in the Yuan Dynasty. The riverside was originally a place for collecting reed grass, named Caochang.Sanlihe was destroyed and gradually turned into a market place. From the east to the west, there are ten alleys, which are called Caochang 1, Ertiao to Shitiao.This place is an area where tourists from all provinces gather, so there are many guild halls in one place and ticket numbers in two.The ticket numbers were all Shanxi gangs. Before foreigners came to China in large numbers, no matter whether it was north or south, when it came to "Western merchants", they all knew that they were powerful Shanxi merchants.Ever since Zhang Huaizhi got shot, Baichuantong had warded off the disaster for the British Legation, and a dozen or so nearby Shanxi bank offices discussed overnight and decided to relocate to the Li family in Guanshi. Guanshi is a small town on Budang Road in the north of Beijing, but it has a poor location and outstanding people. When it comes to the Li family in Guanshi, there are quite a few people who are well-known.The Li family ran a bodyguard company with a good reputation, the master had a reputation of being chivalrous, and there were many "bossmen" and "travelers" who were proficient in boxing and kicking, so they were feared by the boxers, and they managed to maintain a small piece of paradise amidst the turmoil and dust.The Beijing Central Bank has always entrusted the transportation of cash to the Li family in the city. They know each other well, so they might as well help each other in emergencies.After the discussion, it was decided to move out immediately, and at noon the next day, all the ticket numbers of the grass factory posted a plum red note on the front door: "There is a happy event at home, and the business is closed." Although the impact of the bank's bank on the market is not as immediate as that of the "Four Great Constants", when people are panicking, it is rumored that the bank's bank has closed down, which makes people feel that the capital is in jeopardy and disaster is imminent, and the order is even worse. Bad, it gave Chen Kuilong a headache. One more headache.Suddenly there was a message of counseling, saying that Cen Chunxuan, the chief of the Gansu feudal clan, led the army and King Qin, was going to the capital, and asked Shuntian Mansion to supply chariots and horsemen as soon as possible to help the military.After further inquiry, Cen Chunxuan himself has arrived in Beijing on Qingqi, and has been summoned by the two palaces, and has been praised by the empress dowager Cixi.From this point of view, it seems that he has to buy his account, but the two hundred carts used by Chengyu still don't know where they are?How can there be any extra horses and chariots to supply Cen Chunxuan. Therefore, Chen Kuilong had to ask Rong Lu for instructions.Hearing what he came for, Rong Lu sneered and said, "Huh, this kid! You always know how he got mixed up, right?" "I have heard of it, but I don't know the details." "He's the best kid. He's..." He is the son of the late Governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, Cen Yuying.Leng Ya idles Cao, and he has a lot of money, so he only hangs out in Bada Hutong every day, and met a prostitute friend, a Shandong native named Zhang Mingqi, who is also a Juren.The two have the same smell and talk about everything. At that time, just before the Reform Movement of 1898, since the edict "Ding Guoshi" was issued in late April, there were daily edicts to implement the new policy, and there were also daily memorials to the edict.As long as you are willing to use your brain, you can come up with tricks, get promoted and get rich, it's very easy.Cen Chunxuan is a very unwilling person, so he discussed with Zhang Mingqi privately, how can he find a good topic, write a good article on it, impress the sacred heart, and get to know the master? Zhang Mingqi thought for a while and said: "There is only one topic. If you have a good topic, you don't have to worry about not having a good article. It's just that there is a difficulty. Your Excellency has to throw away the hat first." "If you lose your gauze hat, you lose your gauze hat! What's the big deal with a mere young man?" "I was just joking with you." Zhang Mingqi said with a smile, "If you can throw away that gauze hat, you won't have to worry about not having a jade belt. I'm afraid that if you still wear that old gauze hat, it must be a waste of effort." It turned out that Zhang Mingqi found a good topic, which was to abolish the gap between the nameless yamen and the parallel branches.It is suggested that six yamen be abolished in Beijing. The first one is Zhan Shifu. This is the so-called "Eastern Palace official" whose job is to tutor the prince.Since Kangxi abolished the crown prince twice in the Qing Dynasty, there was no establishment of a reserve. The second yamen is the general administration department.This yamen was the first-class center in the Ming Dynasty. The chief executive was the cashier, and Yan Songzhi was able to become a power traitor because his godson Zhao Wenhua was the chief envoy.But in the Qing Dynasty, there were military planes outside and internal affairs offices inside. The Secretary of General Administration was like the cabinet, with power left behind and his name in vain. The third Yamen is Guanglu Temple.The responsibility of this yamen is to manage sacrifices and the diet of the imperial palace. The power has long been seized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Therefore, "tea soup from Guanglu Temple", "swords and guns from the military library, and prescriptions from the Imperial Hospital" have become one of the important places in Beijing. laughing stock. The fourth yamen is the Honghe Temple where Cen Chunxuan is the hall official. His duties are praised, and his affairs are extremely simple. Apart from ceremonies and ceremonies, he has nothing to do.And it is a yamen that shouldn't exist at all, because Taichang Temple can also handle the duties of Honglu Temple. The fifth yamen is Taipu Temple, which is in charge of horse herding in Chahar and Zhangjiakou.I don't know much about the driving department in charge of the Ministry of War and the Shangsi Academy. The sixth yamen is Dali Temple.This is the most important yamen in the "Great Nine Qings", and it is called the "Three Legal Departments" together with the Ministry of Punishment and the Metropolitan Procuratorate.If the case is to be tried jointly by the three courts ordered by the imperial court, the death penalty cannot be imposed unless "the whole hall draws promises".The code of the note stipulates: "Whenever the record is reviewed, the Ministry of Punishment will determine the suspicion; the Metropolitan Procuratorate will correct it. If the prison is completed, it will be returned to the temple for a final decision. If there is no agreement, the two parties will discuss it, and the decision will be made." When there is a discrepancy in the opinions of the procuratorate, it will be judged by Dali Temple.However, the Ministry of Punishment is often the main body for litigation matters, and the Metropolitan Procuratorate is responsible for correcting impeachment, and the Ministry of Punishment often decides the trial and record.Disputes can't be afforded, and Dali Temple rarely plays a role. There are four vacancies for foreign officials that should be abolished.That is, Hubei, Guangdong, and Yunnan, where the governors are in the same city, govern only one province, and the governor and the governor rule in the same city. Either the west wind overwhelms the east wind, or the east wind overwhelms the west wind, which has been criticized for a long time.But I never dared to make a suggestion to abolish it, because no matter if you ax the governor or the governor, you will knock off three red caps at once, and no one dares to take such a big shame. Therefore, when Cen Chunxuan advocated the abolition of the governors of Hubei, Guangdong and Yunnan provinces, many people felt that they had won their hearts first, and the three governors of Hubei, Guangdong, and Yunnan were like removing a stumbling block, and they couldn't stop cheering. In addition, there is a river governor, which is also dispensable.In the Qing Dynasty, the river work was the most important, and two governors were set up to take charge of the work. The river south of Xuzhou was under the management of the Jiangnan River Governor, referred to as "South River".The rivers in Shandong and Henan are under the management of the Governor of the River East, referred to as "Donghe".During the Hongyang Rebellion, the southeast fell to barbarians, and the governor of Nanhe was dismissed, but he did not recover.The remaining governor of Donghe, because of his uniqueness, is referred to as "Hedu" for short. He was originally stationed in Jining, Shandong, but changed to Yanzhou. However, although the river governor is stationed in Shandong, the river engineering in Shandong has long been transferred to the governor's management. A majestic governor only manages a section of the Yellow River in Henan, and he still needs the cooperation of the local officials in Henan to get things done.Therefore, Cen Chunxuan thought that it could be omitted, and Henan Hegong would follow Shandong's example and be concurrently run by the governor. This memorial, talked with eloquence and without hesitation, first met the appetite of the aggressive emperor.And the most cheap thing among them is that Cen Chunxuan's own shortcomings, that is, being included in the list of judges, are more than enough to prove that what he said is dedicated to the country and selfless. On the thirteenth day of the seventh month, there was an edict on the 14th, as played by Cen Chunxuan, abolishing the cumbersomeness, cutting off the affairs of the various yamen, and merging them into the relevant yamen. The next day, Cen Chunxuan was summoned, and the order was given, and he was released in Guangdong the next day. vassal. This is what Zhang Mingqi said, "If you lose the gauze cap, you will have the jade belt".However, from the fifth-rank Jingtang, he became a second-rank supervisor in one fell swoop, and he was placed in the affluent province of Guangdong, which can not but be said to be unprecedented.Of course Cen Chunxuan is full of ambitions, but knocking out so many people's jobs at once will naturally become a source of grievances. Many people want to take a knife to fight him desperately, so scared that Cen Chunxuan dare not even live in the guild hall, so he got his diploma as soon as possible, and Haidao Transferred to Guangzhou via Shanghai to take over. Soon, the coup of 1898 broke out, and Cen Chunxuan finally got lucky. Although he was involved, it was not serious.However, the Guangdong Feudal Secretary could not be successful, so he was transferred to Gansu.When the war was declared this year, the provinces were ordered to train troops and raise salaries to help each other in difficult times. Cen Chunxuan thought it was another opportunity to become a master, so he volunteered to Tao Mo, Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, willing to lead troops to serve the king. Tao Mo knew that he was impetuous and arrogant, and liked to be troublesome, but King Qin's hat was too big, so he had to be perfunctory, so he allocated three infantry battalions, each with more than 400 people, and three cavalry battalions, each with more than 200 people.In addition, he was given 50,000 taels of payment and sent him to the road. So Cen Chunxuan lightly rode Jian Cong, starting from Lanzhou first, crossing the so-called grassland of Yikezhao League, and entering the customs through Zhangjiakou. When he arrived in Beijing, he took a full body of travel and dust. This is the first soldier of the king Qin of each province.The Empress Dowager Cixi was greatly moved, and when she was summoned, she saw Cen Chunxuan's suit, neither gray nor yellow, and his face was mixed with dirt and sweat, as if he hadn't washed his face for ten days. Working so hard and being truly loyal, he couldn't help but put aside the disgust he once had for the New Deal. "How many soldiers did you bring?" "Four battalions and three banners, a total of 2,000 people." When she heard that there were only two thousand people, the Empress Dowager Cixi felt that it was almost child's play, and she was a little discouraged. "Where is the team stationed?" "The team is still on the way." Cen Chunxuan explained: "The minister received the news that the foreigners wanted to attack our capital unreasonably. I wished I could fly here with wings and travel day and night without taking off my clothes. The team was slow because the cavalry had to wait for the infantry and they had heavy luggage! " "Finally, you are commendable for your loyalty and bravery." Empress Dowager Cixi said, "You have worked hard too, go down and rest first!" When he came to pay his respects, Rong Lu didn't see him.Talking about it with Chen Kuilong at this moment, it is still a tone of contempt for him.Seeing this situation, Chen Kuilong also decided to ignore Cen Chunxuan and wait for his team to arrive. "How about the two hundred cars?" Rong Lu didn't talk about Cen Chunxuan any more, but only asked about his own concerns. "I've figured out a way, and I'm connecting." Chen Kuilong replied, "I want to find a flower farmer in Shiqicang." This reminded Ronglu, "Yes!" He said happily: "You want to get it! You must have a car to find the flower shop. If there is any trouble, I will find the warehouse assistant to talk to you." With this support, Chen Kuilong let it go.The capital and Tongzhou have a total of 17 large warehouses, which are dedicated to storing grain. In the warehouses, there are special servants who handle the formalities of grain delivery. Family is hereditary business.This generation is denounced as a "cang beetle" in the mouth of a gentleman, but all of them have a wealthy family and a luxurious life, which can be compared to the bannermen of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The grain stored in the Seventeen Warehouses in Jingtong is called "Tiangeng Zhenggong". In addition to being used in the palace, the Lumi for civil and military officials and the "Jiami" for the soldiers in the Beijing camp are also distributed by the Seventeen Warehouses. The "craftsman's rice" specially raised by the artisans of various ministries, and the "enmi" of the eight direct descendants of the "Iron Hat King" since entering the customs, etc., are all delivered by flower households.Therefore, every family has dozens or hundreds of carts, and the government expropriates them and pays the price of the carts. Tianfu Yamen is around. Chen Kuilong went back to his life proudly, and saw that Ronglu's face was bleak, his already yellow and thin face became more and more haggard, and he couldn't help but asked in surprise, "Zhongtang's complexion is very bad, where is it uncomfortable?" "Nie Gongting, alas!" Rong Lu answered irrelevantly: "Killed!" Chen Kuilong also felt his heart sink.In the overall situation, when it comes to defense with troops, only Nie Shicheng is more reliable. This way, Tianjin's defense seems even more uncertain. "It's not worth dying!" Rong Lu wept sadly, "It's too unfair to die!" "What's the matter?" Chen Kuilong half-asked, half-comfortingly: "Mr. Zhongtang will please take care of Luo for him?" "I'm afraid it won't work right now!" Rong Lu's voice was very weak: "The Boxers have a deep enmity with him. Everyone knows that he fought very well, but no one dared to repay him. If you don't forgive me from the court, but see you as being forced by boxers, I already have a heart that I don't want to live." Chen Kuilong sighed endlessly, but he was more concerned about the safety of Tianjin. "Zhongtang," he asked, "I wonder how long Tianjin can last?" "It's at stake." "So, just watch it fall?" Rong Lu didn't answer.Standing up and rubbing his hands, he circled around twice, then suddenly stopped and asked, "Look, is it better to change Yushoushan or not?" Chen Kuilong was at a loss as to what to answer.First of all, he had to understand, why did Rong Lu ask this question?So I asked a question: "So what if you change it? So what if you don't change it?" "If you don't change it, Tianjin will definitely not be able to keep it. If you change it, there will be advantages and disadvantages." Rong Lu said hesitantly, "I'm afraid Yushoushan can't find a way to get out of it. This change is exactly what he wants, and the more he can ignore it. Tianjin loses faster." "Of course we have to worry about this. However, in my opinion, that's not the point." Chen Kuilong replied: "The governor of Zhili, the Beiyang minister, the governor and leader, has a high position and power. Who would not want this lack? But at this time, I don't know that there is a Who is willing to take orders in danger?" "You needn't worry about that. There are people." "Which one?" Chen Kuilong asked. "Hefei." Rong Lu replied, "The imperial court has summoned Hefei three times, but they still can't make excuses. His group of people, like Sheng Xingsun, have already offered conditions. If Hefei doesn't return to Beiyang, it won't go north. Zhang Xiangtao, Liu Xianzhuang also repeatedly urged Hefei to go north. Since everyone expects it, I don't think the Empress Dowager thinks he is threatening." "Threat!" Chen Kuilong asked, "The Empress Dowager thinks that Li Zhongtang is only willing to go to Beijing if he has to return to Beiyang. Is it a threat?" "The empress dowager's words are even worse than this, saying that he is simply taking the opportunity to blackmail." "In my opinion," Chen Kuilong said, "that's just the thinking of Sheng Xingsun and his group, Li Zhongtang himself may not have such intentions." "Whether he has it or not, if he is transferred to the direct governor and Guangdong and Guangxi send people to take care of him, he will have to leave. Otherwise, won't it be occupying other people's shortcomings and blocking their future?" "This," Chen Kuilong said with a smile, "it's a good way to force Li Zhongtang to go to Beijing." He paused for a moment, then straightened his face and said, "Bring Li Zhongtang back, at least, it will have the effect of calming people's hearts. " "Ah, ah!" Rong Lu slapped his palm suddenly: "This is the way to go! I am determined. " Then shouted: "Take the car." " ※ ※ ※ Set up a car to enter the palace, and hand over the sign to see the Empress Dowager Cixi.Soon, a little eunuch came out to greet him and said, "Director Li, please have a word with Zhongtang." So Rong Lu followed him to see Li Lianying first.When they met, they were not in a hurry to speak. They took watermelon, gold and silver dew, and asked him to take off his clothes and wipe his face.After Rong Lu Su Khan received it, his spirits were refreshed, and he felt that it was time to deal with business, so he immediately asked, "Lianying, do you have something to say?" "Nothing to say. Just ask Zhongtang to cool off, cool off, and don't be busy seeing Lafayette." Li Lianying said, "I suppressed the sign and did not hand it over." "What's the matter? Lafayette is taking a nap?" "No!" Li Lianying said, "I'm in a bad mood today. Whoever goes up, whoever bumps into a wall, doesn't make a difference." It turned out that it was the intention of taking extra care. Rong Lu was very grateful, and after thanking him, he asked: "Why are you unhappy?" "It's not the father and son." The so-called "father and son" refers to Zaiyi and eldest elder brother.Rong Lu nodded and said: "One is enough! What's more, it's father and son!" "Alas!" Li Lianying sighed: "Lafayette has been strong all her life, but it's just this matter that always makes her unhappy." "What's the matter? Did you make Lafayette angry again?" "It's not just angry!" Li Lianying lowered her voice and said, "Today's troubles are too outrageous! Lafayette almost cried with anger." Rong Lu was shocked!I have seen Empress Dowager Cixi angry, and Empress Dowager Cixi shed tears, but I have never seen Cixi shed tears of anger! "Isn't that an anecdote?" "It's no wonder that Lafayette has never been angry. It was just an hour ago that King Duan brought a group of people into the palace..." "Who is that gang?" Rong Lu interrupted him and asked, "The Boxers?" "Zhongtang thinks, who else?" Li Lianying replied, "The situation is different today, it's even worse! A senior elder brother dared to raise his face and tilt his neck when he saw Lafayette and said, 'there are also dudes in the palace. Gotta check!'" Rong Lu was shocked, "Don't you want to reverse this?" He asked, "How will Lafayette answer him?" "Lafayette asked him, 'How to check the law?' He said, 'If you are a dude, you just need to pat your forehead, and there will be cross marks. Yes, it seems like a petty official from other provinces coming to Beijing, saying one thing is one thing, and the other is two things, there is simply no room for flexibility." "Did Lafayette pass the test?" Li Lianying smiled bitterly, "Zhongtang, please think about it, if Lafayette reprimands you when he gets angry, what will they do? If they say it's not a test, you have to speak nicely to them, and there's no reason for that." , he suddenly raised his thumb, "Zhongtang, I really convinced Lafayette today! Lafayette endured things that no one can bear, and said calmly, 'You go down first, there will be a will soon "Eldest brother actually went down. It's dangerous! It's only a finger, and once the paper tiger pierces through, I don't know what will happen at this time!" Hearing these words, Rong Lu's sweat just poured out from his back again, wiped his forehead, and asked anxiously: "What about the future?" "In the future, the hornet's nest will be blown up! If you are so timid, you will come to me crying and telling me, and there are still people who go to ask Lafayette, please ask Lafayette to decide, not to check. Lafayette told me: 'I can't do it either. Talk about favors with them, and if the favors cannot be resolved, how can I step down? Tell the eunuchs and maids that if you go out, the cross will be photographed there? Sure enough, it is fate, and we will talk about it at that time. 'I spent a lot of effort, and finally got 20 or 30 people to let them shoot, but they didn't shoot anything, and they left quietly. They also understand that Lafayette gave me face, and I will return Lafayette's face But, Zhongtang, think about it, how wronged is Lafayette?" Rong Lu didn't answer, he drank two bowls of herbal tea, breathed out and asked, "The eunuchs and palace maids they want to investigate, did they want anyone else?" Hearing this, Li Lianying blinked her eyes, showing a vigilant look, waved the little eunuch away, pulled the chair, approached Ronglu and said, "Zhongtang, I have to discuss something with you! I see, They entered the palace today, as if to deal with the emperor, but fortunately the emperor still went back to Yingtai. If it is like this, maybe they will meet one day, what if, what if there is a catastrophe?" "We must not cause such a catastrophe! Once it breaks out, the Qing Dynasty will be over!" Rong Lu closed his mouth and thought for a while, then said in a low voice: "Lianying, protect Lafayette and the emperor, just protect the old Buddha and the emperor!" It's up to you and me! I'll arrange a good team to guard the Ningshou Palace today. However, you have to play Lafayette and give me a decree. No one is allowed to enter the palace without the permission of Lafayette. , No matter who it is, shoot and kill!" Li Lianying thought about it and asked, "Are those wearing dragon coats included?" The rules of dress, the men's clothes above the county king are tuanlong jackets, and Baylor is only allowed to embroider pythons, not dragons.Li Lianying's question was obviously referring to King Duan, Rong Lu replied without hesitation: "That's right, everything is included." Just talking about this, I saw a little eunuch rushing over and said, "Uncle Li, please always invite me! Lafayette is asking." "Maybe I have something to ask. Zhongtang, please wait for a while, I will go up to see the situation, and I will make the matter I just said come to an end." Not long after he left, he saw the little eunuch who had been talking back and forth just now came rushing to report to Rong Lu, and the Empress Dowager Cixi waited to summon him.跟着走到乐善堂，李莲英己迎在东暖阁外，悄悄告诉他说，慈禧太后听说他来了，神色之间很高兴，看样子有许多话要说，是个进言的好机会。 荣禄点点头，略微站了一下，将慈禧太后此时的心境，揣摩了一番，方始入内。 “你总听说了吧？什么仪制，什么规矩，全都谈不上了！” “奴才死罪！”荣禄似乎悲愤激动得声音都变过了：“奴才只恨自己心思太拙，象这种无法无天的事，应该早就想到了的！” “谁想到，端王……，”慈禧突然顿住，好一会才很快地说：“你知道的，我做事向来不后悔，也不必去提他了！莲英跟我回，说你要我写张字给你？” “是！”荣禄答说：“虽然有懿旨，奴才也不能鲁莽。” “这话说得对了！我可以写给你。拿朱笔来！” 于是，李莲英亲自指挥太监，端来一张安设着朱墨纸笔的小条桌，摆在慈禧太后面前，照荣禄的意思，写下一道朱谕：“凡内廷、西苑及颐和园等处，着荣禄派兵严密护守，非奉懿旨召见，不准闯入。倘或劝阻不听，不论何人，均着护守官兵权宜处置，事后奏闻。特谕。”正中上方，钤上一枚一寸见方的玉印，七个朱文篆字：“慈禧皇太后御笔”。 于是，李莲英又权充颁诏的专使，捧着朱谕，南面而立，轻喊一声：“接懿旨！” 荣禄膝行两步，磕完头，接过朱谕，仍旧双手捧还李莲英，让他暂且供奉在上方，才又说道：“奴才谨遵懿旨，传示王公大臣，谅来没有人再敢无礼。” “你瞧着办吧！”慈禧太后又加了一句：“皇上也得保护！” "yes." “这个局面，”慈禧太后很吃力地说：“照你看到头来是怎么个样子？” 荣禄不即答言，低下头去，抑郁地说了一句：“奴才不敢说。” “是不敢说，还是不敢想？” “是！老佛爷圣明，奴才不敢说，也不敢想。依奴才看，将来怕是要和都和不下来。” 慈禧太后倏然动容，好一会，脸色转为平静了，“你打电报给李鸿章，”她说：“问他，要怎么样，他才肯来？” 荣禄很快地答说：“第一、停攻使馆；第二、降旨剿灭拳匪。不过，这是一个月以前的话。” “一个月以前，”慈禧太后略微迟疑了一下，终于将一句话说完：“我还能作主。” 荣禄悚然而惊！竟连慈禧太后自己都已承认，已受挟制，不能自主，这是件何等可怕之事？当然，他是不甘于承认有这样的事实的，大声说道：“现在，一切大事也还是老佛爷作主！” 慈禧太后的脸一扬，紧闭着嘴沉吟，好一会才说：“你的话不错，我不作主，还有谁能作主？不过，也不能说怎么就怎么。如今先谈李鸿章，我想先开了他的缺，让他在广州待不住，那就非进京不可了！” 这个想法的本意，与荣禄的打算不谋而合，但做法大不相同，“回老佛爷的话，”他说：“如果开缺，着令李鸿章进京陛见，恐怕于他的面子上不好看。” “当然是调他进京。你看，是让他到总理衙门，还是回北洋。” “回北洋！”荣禄毫不迟疑地答说：“李鸿章的威望到底还在，让他回北洋的上谕一发，于安定人心一节，很有点好处。” “好！就这么办。裕禄太不成！”慈禧太后提出一种顾虑： “就怕他趁此推诿，天津的防务，越发难了。” “是！”荣禄答说：“不过宋庆已经到了天津，先可以顶一阵。” “那要在上谕里面，格外加一句。”慈禧太后又说：“李鸿章能不能借坐外国兵船？总之，他得赶快来！越快越好！” “是！奴才一下去，就发电报。” “各国使馆的情形怎么样？”慈禧太后问：“昨天载澜跟我说，拿住好些汉奸，偷偷儿地运粮食给使馆，都给杀了。又说，要不了多少日子，困在使馆里的洋人，就得活活儿饿死。当时我没有说话，事后想想，这样子做法可不大妥当。论朝廷的王法，就没有把人活活饿死这一条。那怕大逆不道，凌迟处死，总也得让犯人吃饱了才绑上法场。你说呢？” 她的话还没有完，荣禄已经磕下头去，同时说道：“老佛爷真是活菩萨！洋人如果知道老佛爷是这么存心，一定会感激天恩。奴才本来也在想，如果真的把洋人饿死，这名声传到外洋可不大好听。不过，奴才不敢回奏。如今老佛爷这么吩咐，奴才斗胆请旨，可以不可以请旨赏赐使馆食物水果？” “这原算不了一回事，就怕有人会说闲话。” “明理的人不会说闲话！就算洋人是得了罪的囚犯，不也有恤囚的制度吗？冬天给棉衣，夏天给凉茶。这是体上天好生之德，法外施仁，谁不称颂圣明仁厚？” “说得有理。你就办去吧！”慈禧特又叮嘱：“催李鸿章进京的电报，赶紧发。你跟礼王、王文韶商量着办，电报稿子不必送来看了。” 这是军机大臣独自承旨，照规矩应该转达同僚。时在下午，军机大臣早已下值，荣禄便作了权宜处置，一面请王文韶到家，一面写信告知礼王。等王文韶应约而来，荣禄已经亲自将电旨的稿子拟好了。 说知究竟，斟酌电旨，一共两道。第一道是：“直隶总督着李鸿章调补，兼充北洋大臣。现在天津防务紧要，李鸿章未到任以前，仍责成裕禄会同宋庆，妥筹办理，不得因简放有人，稍涉诿卸。” 第二道是专给李鸿章的：“李鸿章已调补直隶总督，着该督自行酌量，如能借坐俄国兵船，由海道星夜北上，尤为殷盼。否则，即由陆路兼程前来，勿稍刻延，是为至要。” “这道上谕，”王文韶问：“是廷寄，还是明发？” “当然是廷寄。” “我看是用明发好。”王文韶说：“第一道上谕没有催他立即进京，反而会引起误会。照规矩，临危授命，必有督饬之词，所以这一道上谕，要用明发，才能收安定人心之效。” “高见、高见！就改用明发。” “如果改用明发，指明借坐俄国兵船，似乎不大冠冕。” “那，怎么改呢？” “不如用'无分水陆，兼程来京'的字样。” “是！”荣禄提笔就改，改到一半，忽然搁笔：“夔老，我想不如用原文。借坐俄国船，说起来虽不大体面，另倒是有个小小的作用，第一、让外省知道，朝廷并不仇视洋人，不然不会让李鸿章坐洋人的船；第二、让各国公使、领事去猜测，李鸿章已经跟俄国先说好讲和了！这一来，态度也许会缓和。” “啊，啊！妙，妙！”王文韶大为赞赏：“我倒没有想到，还有这样的妙用在内。” “我也是无意间想到。”荣禄又说：“'无分水陆，兼程来京'这八个字也很好，不妨明天再发一道上谕，以示急迫。” 说停当了，立刻就将两道上谕发了出来，另外仍照原定的规制，抄送内阁明发。这一来，在“军务处”的载漪、徐桐与崇绮自然都知道了。 “真岂有此理！”载漪大为气恼：“这样的大事，怎么不让军务处知道？北洋大臣的调遣不归军务处管，说得过去吗？” “也许刚子良知道。” 将刚毅跟赵舒翘请来一问，事先都无所闻。赵舒翘问了军机章京，才知道是荣禄独自承旨，礼王接到了通知，而王文韶是参预其事。 “这个老家伙！”载漪骂道：“我要参他！” “还有件事更气人。”刚毅气鼓鼓地说：“王爷，你知道不知道，皇太后有食物水果赏洋人？” 于是载漪咆哮大骂，从荣禄骂到李鸿章、刘坤一、张之洞，徐了山西巡抚毓贤以外，有名的督抚，无不骂到，连裕禄亦不例外。当然，不会骂裕禄是汉奸，骂他“不成材、不争气、不中用”。 等他骂得倦了，赵舒翘取出一件裕禄的电报，详奏聂士成阵亡的经过，请示如何议恤？ “议恤！”刚毅故作诧异地：“议什么恤？” “死有余辜！”徐桐接口：“国家恤典，非为此辈而设。” “一点不错！”载漪双手一拍，骂人的劲儿又来了：“义和团凭的是一股气，气一泄，神道也不上身了！第一个给义和团泄气的，就是姓聂的那小子。什么阵亡？该死！” 在座的还有崇绮与启秀，亦是默不作声。见此光景赵舒翘大为气馁。不过礼王、王文韶都叮嘱过他，聂士成受尽委屈，打得也不错，阵亡而无恤典，不特无以慰忠魂，亦恐宋庆、马玉昆的部下寒心，天津就更难守得住了！所以无论如何要赵舒翘设法疏通，为聂士成议恤。因此，他不能不硬着头皮再争一争。 “王爷跟两位中堂的话，我有同感。不过，公事上有一层为难的地方，聂功亭这个提督，至今还是革职留任。不管怎么说，人是死在阵上，如果不开复一切处分，开国以来，尚无先例。” “这应该开复！”崇绮开口了。此因第一，他毕章是状元，读书人的气质要比徐桐来得厚些；第二，对于败军之将，他另有一分出于衷心的同情。他的父亲赛尚阿当洪杨初起时，丧师失律，垮了下来，差点性命不保，所以他之为聂士成说话是不足为奇的。不过言之要有效，得找一番冠冕堂皇的理由，很用心地想了一下，接下去说：“死者已矣！身后荣辱，泉下不得而知。说实话，恤死所以励生，如今军务正吃紧的时候，不妨借此激励士气。如聂某也者，亦能邀得恤典，他人捐躯，更可知矣！这也是一番千金市骨的作用。” “千金市骨，也要一块骏骨才行！”载漪不屑地说：“这是块什么骨头？” 大家都不答话。虽没有人赞成崇绮的话，可也没有人再反对。赵舒翘觉得这个局面似僵非僵，机会稍纵即逝，便鼓起勇气问道：“请示王爷，是不是就照崇公爷的意思拟旨？” “我不管！”载漪暴声答说：“随便你们！” “中堂，”赵舒翘轻声问刚毅：“你看如何？” “好吧！”刚毅是赵舒翘的举主，情分不同，无可奈何地说：“你就在这里，拟道上谕看看。” 赵舒翘两榜进士出身，笔下很来得，根据裕禄的电奏，加上几句悼惜与恩恤的话，很快地拟好了旨稿，送给刚毅去看。 “不行，不行！不能这么说。”刚毅毫不客气地推翻原稿：“要把他种种措置失宜的情形说一说。不然，为什么要革职留任呢？” 想想话也不错。赵舒翘重新伏案提笔，这一次就颇费思考了，语气轻了不行，重了更与抚恤的本意不符。 费了有三刻钟，方始拟妥，随即送交刚毅。未看正文，他先就在正文前面加了五个字：“谕军机大臣”，表示与“军务处”无关。 再看正文，写的是：“统带武卫前军，直隶总督聂士成，从前颇著战功；训练士卒，殊亦有方，乃此次办理防剿，每多失宜，屡被参劾，有负委任，前降谕旨，将该提督革职留任，以观后效。朝廷曲予矜全，望其力图振作，借赎前愆，讵意竟于本月十三日，督战阵亡。侧念该提督亲临前敌，为国捐躯，尚非畏葸者比，着开复处分，照提督阵亡例赐恤，用示朝廷笃念忠烈，策励戎行之至意。” “意思是对了，语气不对！”刚毅提笔就改，首先将“笃念忠烈”改为“格外施恩”，然后再从头改：“颇著战功”改为“著有战功”；“殊亦有方”改为“亦尚有方”；“每多失宜”改为“种种失宜”。总之，说聂士成好的，语气改轻，说坏的就加重。 等他搁笔，徐桐说道：“我看一看！” 不仅看一看，还要改一改。徐桐在“督战阵亡”之下，加了几句：“多年讲求洋操，原期杀敌致果，乃竟不堪一试，言之殊堪痛恨！” 写完，将旨稿还给刚毅，得意地问道：“如何？” 这几句话很刻薄，亦是对讲求洋务的一大讥斥，很配刚毅的胃口，但有件事，使他大为不快。军机大臣拟上谕，或者改军机章京所拟旨稿的那枝笔，称为“枢笔”，权威仅次于御笔。当年穆宗驾崩，深夜定计奉迎当今皇帝入宫，由于军机大臣文祥抱恙在身，荣禄自告奋勇，拟了一道上谕，等另一位军机大臣沈桂芬赶到，认为荣禄“擅动枢笔”，怀恨甚深，以后不断跟荣禄为难，耽误了他十来年大用的机会。当时是出了大事，仓皇急切之间，失于检点，还是情有可原，如今徐桐明明看到一开头就是“谕军机大臣”，居然擅作主张，一副首辅的派头，未免太狂妄自大，目中无人了。 因此，刚毅冷冷地答道：“如今什么事都不讲究了！何止于洋操这件事！” 徐桐听出语风不大对劲，却不知其故何在？刚要动问，赵舒翘又谈到另一件大事。 “江浙两湖的考官该放了。这几天很有人来问消息，竟不知怎么回答人家？” 原来子、午、卯、酉乡试之年，以路程远近定放主考的先后。边远省分，早在五月初就放了，东南及腹地各省，应该在六月中旬放。然后，七月初放山东、山西、河南各近畿省分，最迟的是顺天乡试的正副主考，八月初六才传宣，一经派到，立刻入闱。 京城里天翻地覆，江浙两省，繁华如昔，若能派任主考，借此远祸，真个“班生此行，无异登仙”，无怪乎够资格放主考的翰林，人人关心。但作为翰林院掌院的徐桐，却嗤之以鼻！ “如今是何时世？朝廷那来的工夫管此不急之务？” 赵舒翘心想，这话如果出于目不识丁的武夫之口，犹有可说，翰林院掌院以职位而论，巍然文宗，居然如此轻视科举，真是骇人听闻，何怪乎董福祥会烧翰林院！ 他很想痛痛快快驳他一驳，但以徐桐已成国之大老，话不便说得太重。就这思量措词之际，刚毅开口了。 刚毅是因为徐桐“擅动枢笔”，怀着一肚子闷气，有机会可以发泄，当然不会放过，“抡才大典，不是小事！”他说：“不举乡试，各省的人才，怎么贡得到朝廷来？这件事要好好商量。” 徐桐也知道自己失言了，急忙说道：“也不是不举乡试，只是今年秋闱总不行了！” “还有一层，”启秀为他老师帮腔：“今年秋闱纵能举行，明年会试恐怕来不及！灭了洋人，总还有许多论功行赏，遣返士卒，慰抚黎民之类的善后事宜。不说别的，京里遭遇这场大乱，百凡缺乏，一开了年几千举人到京，食、住两项就有困难。” 这倒是实在话。照此说法，慢慢就可以商量了。赵舒翘便看着刚毅说：“我看今年乡试，只能延期，就看延到什么时候？” “要不了多少时候！”久未开腔的载漪突然出声：“到闰八月就是洋人的死期到了！那时一战而胜，天下太平。” 民间传说，闰八月动刀兵，并没有说，闰八月能打胜仗。赵舒翘觉得启秀与载漪都在说梦话，不过要不了多少时候，倒是真的，等李鸿章一到京，跟洋人议和，说不定闰八月就可以停战。 “王爷这一说，我倒有个主意，明年来个春秋颠倒，亦是科举的一段佳话。” “何谓春秋颠倒？” “今年的秋闱，改在明年春天。”赵舒翘答说：“明年的春闱，改在秋天。” “这好！”刚毅首先赞成，“乡会试都不宜延期太久，免得影响民心