A Romantic Detective in the Qing Dynasty [Complete] - 5

Chapter Thirty-One: Consort Zhen, having been tortured,

returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Zhang Zhidong, Sheng Yu, and Fei'er successively sent messengers to report that the handover had been completed smoothly. Only the Fengtai Camp Commander, Feng Sheng'a, who had no sense of right or wrong, refused to relinquish his military power during the handover and was riddled with bullets. The others were spared a single shot. Now, all land and water transportation to and from Beijing had been sealed off, and telegrams to the various regional officials inviting them to attend the celebrations of the Emperor's personal decree had been sent.

Back in the palace, Fei'er dragged Kou Liancai in by the ear: "Your Majesty, he lost Consort Zhen and is too scared to come in!"

I was alarmed and hurriedly asked what had happened.

The young scholar sobbed, "I don't know who told the Empress Dowager, but she just came over with her men. As soon as she entered, she specifically asked for Consort Zhen. Consort Zhen didn't know what was going on and came over. The Empress Dowager grabbed Consort Zhen's hair, dragged her to the ground, and then kicked and beat her until she passed out. She then grabbed Consort Zhen's hair and yelled, 'You shameless vixen! You dare let that fool lock up my Li Yan? Do you want to live?' They then released the imprisoned Li Li Yan, who rushed into the Empress Dowager's arms and said, 'It's all because of this vixen that His Majesty is bewitched! His Majesty likes me!'" Tianyi came and crawled into my bed, even touching my breasts! It was that vixen who ruined everything! The Empress Dowager, upon hearing this, went even crazier. "Fine! So that's why my son has gone bad! It's because of you, you little hussy! See how I deal with you! You've alienated my son and me; I won't let you get away with this!" Saying this, she pinned Consort Zhen to the ground and spanked her for a long time, until her pants were soaked with blood! Before leaving, she said, "Tell that master of mine, he's causing me trouble. I'll teach him a lesson! I refuse to believe I can't deal with that little brat!"

I angrily drew my pistol: "Let's go, I'll kill her!"

Yan'er grabbed me and turned to the young scholar... "Go on!" said

the young scholar. "They left just before His Majesty returned, carrying the unconscious Consort Zhen away with two men!"

Yan'er immediately said, "A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan. We must rescue Consort Zhen, and we must also use her status as Empress Dowager Cixi to quickly seize control of the entire army and government, leaving no opportunity for imperialist countries!"

Yan'er then asked, "Did Li Lianying come along?"

The young scholar said, "Yes, he did. He was supporting the Empress Dowager the whole time. Before leaving, the Empress Dowager said she was tired, with a sore back and legs. Li Lianying even said, 'When we get back, I'll give you a good rest and make sure you get a good night's sleep!'"

Yan'er said, "Alright, let's let them relax first." "Get some sleep, Fu Fu! Come on, let's find out who sent the letter!"

The young scholar said, "I've been keeping a close watch these past few days, not even letting a fly out! I've also put extra guard on those three women Cixi just sent, not letting them leave the enclosure at all. They couldn't possibly have sent the letter out!" After saying that, he turned to a little maid and asked, "Have they had any reaction over there?"

The little maid thought for a moment and said, "No, I saw them catching a pigeon and playing with it this morning!"

I immediately understood: "Damn it, they sent the letter out by carrier pigeon! Sure enough, these people were sent by Cixi to monitor me!"

Yan'er led the people towards the enclosure, and I followed.

Upon reaching the door, Fei'er kicked it open, startling the three maids lying on the bed. They sat bolt upright, quickly dressed, and knelt on the floor, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

I waved my hand impatiently, saying, "Stop with the formalities. Where's the pigeon you were playing with during the day? I want to see it!"

One of the maids immediately said, "Your Majesty is joking. We haven't left the house these past few days. Where would we get pigeons to play with?"

I laughed, "No one has seen you playing with pigeons. Perhaps they don't recognize them and have misspoke?"

"They must have misspoke! How could we have pigeons!" another maid hurriedly said.

I sat down in a chair and said seriously, "Oh, not bad, not forgetting your former master. Do you really want to use your master's power to tie yourself to my bed? Aren't you afraid I'll sell you all to brothels and make you prostitutes for everyone?"

The three maids immediately trembled with fear and kowtowed desperately, "This servant wouldn't dare to ruin His Majesty's affairs! This servant hasn't done anything detrimental to His Majesty!"

I nodded, "Selling my beloved concubine to that old hag, isn't that ruining my affairs?"

One of the maids hurriedly said, "We didn't say anything bad about His Majesty. We all like His Majesty very much, how could we say anything bad about him? Even today, when Liyan cried and begged us to pass a message to the Empress Dowager, we only said that Liyan was locked up! We didn't say anything more!"

I angrily cursed, "Isn't that enough? What else do you three bastards want to say? You've sent my beloved concubine to hell, and I won't let you get away with it! Guards, lock these three sluts up!" "Go to that runaway bitch's room, and you can keep her there!"

The three young maids kowtowed repeatedly, crying and begging, "Your Majesty, we know we were wrong, please forgive us! We'll never dare to do it again!"

The guards rushed in and dragged the three of them out. I thought for a moment and said, "Li Xianglin, Zhang Cheng, Chen Ran, you three are not young anymore, why don't we distribute them among you as wives? Take them back and let them give you a big, fat son!" As I spoke, I grabbed one and gave her to Li Xianglin, then grabbed another and gave her to Zhang Cheng, and finally pushed the last one into Chen Ran's arms, saying, "You three are the oldest, so you three get priority. In a few days, bring all the girls from that old man's place over, and then we'll distribute the rest among you!" The three of them grabbed

their wives, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for giving us wives!"

Now the three young maids were happy. They had turned misfortune into fortune; they no longer had to suffer in this place. How could they not be happy? The three women knelt there, their heads banging loudly, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting our request!"

Fei'er, furious, grabbed my ear and said, "Are you punishing them or rewarding them?"

Yan'er chuckled, "My husband really knows how to cherish women!"

She then grabbed my other ear, "Come on, let's go home!"

My two young wives dragged me back to my bedchamber. Yan'er said, "Quickly change into your night clothes, we need to go rescue them immediately!"

I hurriedly said, "We can't go now! They took Zhen'er there to lure us in! Let Sheng Yu send troops to completely wipe out that old bastard's den!"

Yan'er said, "Don't worry, Sheng Yu's troops have already surrounded Kunning Palace, so they haven't touched her yet." "It was my order. I have to take her down and force her to come to Tianjin with us to get rid of Li Hongzhang! She's definitely keeping Zhen'er in the water dungeon right now, where there are definitely a lot of soldiers guarding it. They want us to rescue her so they can wipe us all out! Today, we won't go directly to rescue her. We'll go to her palace, capture her, and then go to rescue her!"

Bai Xue said, "I'll go too!" Yan'er said, "

Of course you have to go. You have to come with me to lure the snake out of its hole so that Fei'er and her husband can raid Cixi's bed!" After saying that, she looked at her watch and said, "Okay, they've already surrounded Kunning Palace. We should move out!"

As she spoke, she found a set of clothes and threw them to Bai Xue.

After we changed our clothes, the four of us went outside. Yan'er said, "Bai Xue and I will go rescue Zhen'er. Once we start fighting, they'll definitely be less vigilant, and you can take the opportunity to go in!" As she spoke, she handed me something. I touched it and it was an instant camera.

Yan'er said, "You two sneak into the old woman's bedroom, rush in and take pictures. I've already loaded the film, just press the shutter! Here's the film, take a few more pictures, it's the weapon to control her! Then you two bring that old woman back, we'll need her tomorrow! We'll rescue Zhen'er and bring her back too! The rest is up to Sheng Yu and the others, we don't need to worry about it!"

After saying that, she pulled Bai Xue along and leaped onto the house. The four of us flew towards Kunning Palace.

When we got near Kunning Palace, we split up. Yan'er and Bai Xue sneaked towards the outer buildings behind.

Fei'er and I climbed onto the roof, waiting for their movements. After a while, a fight broke out over there, and the sounds of battle were deafening. Some more people ran away from the courtyard of Kunning Palace, apparently to provide reinforcements. It

quieted down here in a moment, and Fei'er and I landed lightly in front of the gate of Kunning Palace.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Catching Adultery in Bed

. We opened the paper window and saw a dozen men in black, armed with guns and swords, guarding the room. Fei'er took out a small pistol and started firing at them. The gunshots were very quiet, like someone blowing on them. The dozen or so men all fell to the ground.

Damn it, Yan'er, that first wife of mine, really needs to be disciplined. She dares to hide everything from me. Why didn't she get me a couple of these nice things to play with? I'll spank her when we get back!

Fei'er finished her beating in one go. She grabbed my hand and said, "Come on, let's go inside!" As soon as we entered, she raised her hand and fired another shot. A fat monk fell from the roof. She hooked him with her toe and sent him flying out through the open door. We rushed along the corridor towards the inner room. At the end of the corridor, we saw a young eunuch counting silver in his hand, while another young eunuch sat next to him, dozing off. Fei'er raised her gun and fired two shots. The one counting the money leaned against the wall, and the one dozing off was about to fall to the ground. Fei'er quickly flew over, caught him with her foot, and gently placed him on the ground. Then, she and I quietly sneaked into the inner room.

At this moment, we could already hear Cixi's groans and muttering: "Hmm, good, a little further in, hmm, hmm, hmm, it's coming out, drink it quickly! How much explosives did you plant? Is it enough for that brat to taste?"

Li Lianying, probably overwhelmed by the lustful fluids, gasped for breath before finally saying, "Don't worry, I planted all the ones Yamamoto gave me. As soon as they go in to rescue him, they'll pull the trigger! I guarantee that Guangxu will be sent soaring through the clouds!"

I was furious and rushed in, not even bothering to look closely. I threw back the covers and snapped three quick photos of the two naked, fleshy figures.

At the same time, Fei'er's sword was already pressed against Li Lianying's body. Only

then did I realize that this place was nothing short of the most depraved erotic scene in the world.

Both were completely naked. Li Lianying was straddling Cixi, licking her vulva with his mouth directly in front of her, while Cixi was sucking on Li Lianying's penis.

We were both shocked and froze in place.

I couldn't afford to deal with them right now. I was worried my two little wives would rush in to rescue the person. I hurriedly said, "I'll keep an eye on these two. Go tell Yan'er not to let them go in to rescue the person!"

Fei'er chuckled, "Yan'er already guessed their little tricks. Don't worry, Yan'er has a way to deal with them!" I

felt relieved. I removed the black veil covering my head, smiled, and walked to Cixi's side. Holding the newly taken color photograph, I showed it to her and said, "Hmm, the photo is pretty good, isn't it? It's quite clear. Look, the way you look with that penis wrapped in your mouth, so passionate! Your Majesty, I never thought you had such a taste! If you're short of men, I'll find you one with a full penis down there. That would be so much better. Can you even have an orgasm with him licking like that? Alas, poor thing! It's not very elegant if word gets out!"

Cixi opened her mouth and spat out the penis. Wow, it was more than an inch long!

I used my sword to flick Li Lianying's penis: "I knew I wasn't wrong, it really wasn't cleaned properly. Looks like it's necessary to clean it again!"

With that, I swung my hand, and the penis was chopped off close to his body. Li Lianying screamed in pain and fainted. Blood splattered all over Cixi's face, and the penis almost fell into her mouth.

Empress Dowager Cixi dodged my sword and Li Lianying's falling penis, turned her face, and giggled, "You little brat, I finally got you here. Take a good look, everyone around here is my man!"

I laughed, "Your man? Shout, are there any more?"

Cixi indeed shouted, "Guards! Seize this remnant of the Taiping Rebellion!"

Just as she finished shouting, Sheng Yu strolled in, "What are you yelling about? Go play with your eunuchs, you don't need to worry about anything here!"

The old woman looked at him strangely and asked, "Why are you here? Get out of here!"

Sheng Yu laughed and said, "Old woman, you can't act tough now! I am now the Commander of the Nine Gates and the Commander of the Five Battalions of the Infantry Patrol. Your howling and wailing are affecting my defenses, how could I not come? Alright, you play first, I won't bother you anymore! Sigh, there are people in the world who play with eunuchs, disgusting!" With that, he put his hands behind his back and strolled out again!

Empress Dowager Cixi roared angrily, "You little brat, what do you want?"

I smiled and said, "What can I do? I was just thinking of paying my respects to the Empress Dowager tonight when I heard some lewd music coming from here. I wondered who was so bold as to disturb the Empress Dowager's rest, so I came over, intending to take a picture to show her. Who knew it would be the Empress Dowager herself? Alas, it's all my fault. How could I have stumbled upon such a private matter of the Empress Dowager? Should this photo be kept by the Empress Dowager as a memento, or should I keep it as a pornographic picture to play with when I'm bored? No wonder you always call me a child. You're quite the adult. Look at your breasts! When this bastard's big butt squeezes them, wow, they're huge! Big-breasted Cixi! If these were sold to foreigners, they could probably be worth a thousand or eight hundred taels of silver! Hehe, sorry, you've accidentally made me rich too!"

Blood dripped from Li Lianying's lewd penis onto Cixi's... Empress Dowager Cixi's face darkened. She reached out to push Li Lianying away, startling the just-awakened Li Lianying, who cried out, "Your Majesty, Lan'er, don't move! Her sword is on me!"

I laughed, "Your Majesty, it's such a pity not to show off such a beautiful figure. Let me take a good look. Ah, she's truly stunning! Look at that slender waist, look at that little bottom, oh, that long black hair is quite alluring too. No wonder Li Lianying was so captivated that he gave up his six genitals and even had his testicles cut off, yet he was still willing. He's clearly enamored with this beautiful body!"

Cixi gritted her teeth in anger, "What exactly do you want?"

I said, "What can I do? If you want to vent your anger, just grab my woman and beat her up. If you're in a good mood, just stuff two of your lackeys into my arms. Can't you just stay home and behave yourself for a while? I'm telling you, tomorrow you'd better relinquish power and go home to hug your eunuch husband!"

"You're eager to seize power?" Cixi's mood relaxed.

"I'm not in a hurry, that's a tiring job, and I don't have the inclination to take on that! But China can't wait! You've already ruined China, and the people are starving! If I don't drive you off the throne, am I still a descendant of the Yellow Emperor? Do I still deserve to be emperor?"

Cixi sneezed several times, and with a slight movement, Li Lianying's waist was cut twice. He cried out in a wailing voice, "My God, what are you doing? Didn't you see he pressed a sword against my waist?"

I waved my hand, and Fei'er grabbed Li Lianying, dragged him outside, and the wailing stopped in an instant. Cixi

shuddered: "You killed him?"

I said, "If I don't kill this bastard who's so debauched in the palace, am I still human? But it's not that easy now, I still have to take him to save my woman!"

Empress Dowager Cixi coughed again, huffing, "You're making me freeze like this in this freezing weather? Are you trying to kill me?"

I laughed and said, "I just wanted to admire the body of the most beautiful woman in the Qing Dynasty. Look at that fair skin, that glossy black pubic hair, ha! Send her to a brothel, she'd definitely make a fortune! You're really doing me a favor, creating opportunities for me to get rich!"

I picked up the kettle sitting on the brazier, poured her a bowl of water, blew on it to cool her down, and then helped her up, saying, "Your Majesty, have some hot water to soothe your cough!"

She took two sips, then another, smacked her lips, and said, "Did you put something in the water? It doesn't taste right."

I ignored her, poured the whole bowl into her mouth, and then asked, "Where is my woman?"

"In the side room, go get her yourself!" Cixi's eyes rolled back as she was forced to drink, and she paused for a long time before finally speaking.

"Where is that Miss Li?"

"In the back. She likes you quite a bit, don't kill her!" Cixi knew I hated her.

"I won't kill her! I still have her to warm my soldiers' beds!"

I said. "Let me tell you, I don't want to make things too difficult for you. We have to take you away right away, but there's one thing you have to remember: here are your erotic photos. Tonight, I'll send them to my friends outside. If you behave yourself, everything will be fine, and you'll still be my Empress Mother. I'll leave you a way out. If you try to deceive us, I'm sorry, I'll have them publish this photo in foreign newspapers. I'm sure they'll really enjoy seeing your beautiful figure and your mysterious, dark golden triangle!" After saying that, I pressed her pressure point and continued, "Let me tell you, if my little Zhenzhen is alright and you stop causing trouble, I won't make things difficult for you anymore. But if anything happens to her, I'll take your old dog's life!"

After saying that, I rushed out and, together with Fei'er, carried the half-dead Li Lianying to the water dungeon. As expected, Yan'er and Bai Xue didn't try to force their way in. Seeing that we had brought Li Lianying, they poked him in the groin and said, "Shout! You've come to take Consort Zhen for interrogation!"

Li Lianying immediately started wailing and screaming, "Song Chang, it's me, Li Lianying! Quickly bring that little girl out to me! The Empress Dowager wants to interrogate her herself!"

A moment later, two eunuchs carried the soaking wet Consort Zhen in. I quickly stepped forward, subdued the two eunuchs, and hugged Consort Zhen. She was covered in bruises from the beating. When she saw me, she burst into tears. Holding her, I turned to Yan'er and said, "Deal with that bastard. Don't let him embarrass himself with his naked backside!" After saying that, I strode forward. A ghostly scream rang out behind me, then silence.

I said to Fei'er, "You and Xue'er bring that old man here. Let's go back to the palace!"

Chapter Thirty-Three: Heart to Heart

Consort Zhen was much more awake after the run. I put her on the bed, and she cried out. Yan'er lit the candles, and I saw that Consort Zhen's clothes were torn to shreds, and blood stained the remaining garments.

Yan'er hurriedly removed her clothes, but many places were still covered in blood. I brought warm water and gently moistened the affected areas before helping her undress.

It took a lot of effort to finally remove all her clothes.

When I saw them, tears streamed down my face again.

Consort Zhen's once snow-white body was now covered in bruises and purple welts, and her once pink and plump buttocks were now covered with whip marks, some of which were open and bleeding! No wonder she had cried out earlier!

Yan'er took a new towel, dampened it, and gently wiped her face. Seeing Consort Zhen's furrowed brow, tears streamed down my face.

Consort Zhen struggled to reach out a small hand, wiping my face as she cried, "Zhenzhen, you're so bad! Zhen'er has hurt His Majesty! Zhen'er is so useless!"

I grasped her hand, crying, "It's not that Zhen'er is bad, it's that old bastard who's so wicked!"

Zhen'er quickly said, "You can't say that, she's His Majesty's mother!"

"No, she's not His Majesty's mother, we don't know that old scoundrel, that old harlot!" Yan'er hugged Zhen'er tightly.

"But she's still His Majesty's concubine!" Zhen'er insisted.

I held her hand tightly, looked into her face, and asked, "Zhen'er, do you love me?"

Zhen'er immediately replied, "Yes, I've never felt I could love someone so much. I can't be without you for a moment. I feel you are my sunshine, my rain, the most precious part of my life!" I asked again

, "If I weren't Emperor Guangxu, would you still love me?"

She chuckled, "But you are Guangxu, the Guangxu Emperor, Little Zhen's Guangxu Emperor!"

I said seriously, "I ask you to answer me directly!"

She also said seriously, word by word, "I don't love that Emperor Guangxu. " "Your Majesty, I love you as you are now, the older brother who is so devoted to Zhenzhen!"

I gently stroked her soft little hand and said, "Let me tell you, I am not that Emperor Guangxu, I am Long Xiangyu from the future world, and your two older sisters, Yan'er and Fei'er, are also from the future world with me!"

She froze for a moment, then pulled me close and touched my forehead: "Your Majesty, are you delirious from a fever?"

I said, "It's true, this is a big secret I can't tell anyone!"

Zhen'er's big eyes... Her eyes were fixed on me, and she asked nervously, "Then how did you become Emperor Guangxu?"

I said, "That day, we drove that car out into the thick fog. The car kept driving in the fog, and then suddenly we felt like we hit someone. When we got out of the car, we realized that the emperor had been killed!"

Zhen'er grabbed my hand tightly: "Killed? Where is the dead man? They didn't find out, did they?"

I continued, "Even we couldn't believe it. That dog emperor suddenly disappeared when I helped him up, preparing to revive him, leaving only a pile of clothes. And your Sister Yan said I look exactly like that dog emperor." "They made me wear the emperor's clothes, and they really treated me like the emperor!"

Zhen'er said with tears in her eyes, "That's wonderful! No wonder Father said you're different from before. He said you used to be sickly, stuttering and lacking any self-confidence. You would tremble with fear whenever you saw the Empress Dowager. But that day in court, you suddenly became eloquent and so heroic that no one could believe it. Even Sun Yuwen was stunned by you. It turns out Zhen'er has found a genius who has fallen from the sky!" As she spoke, she threw herself into my arms, hugged me tightly, and pressed her face against my chest like a little kitten! After a moment, she suddenly looked up and asked, "Your Majesty, you're not lying to Zhenzhen? Zhenzhen trusts you the most!"

"No, he's not lying to you. The three of us really did come from that world. In that world, we were already husband and wife. Originally, we didn't want to be emperors, but seeing the current corrupt Qing Dynasty, we couldn't stand it anymore. We couldn't bear to let China be ruined by that bastard Empress Dowager Cixi, and we couldn't bear to let the poor people suffer from foreign invasion. So we were forced to join the Liangshan bandits, and he pretended to be Emperor Guangxu to take on this responsibility!" Yan'er said seriously.

Zhen'er said happily, "When I was forced to marry that Emperor Guangxu, I secretly cried dozens of times. I heard he was a sickly man, good for nothing, and couldn't even have a proper sex life. But what I saw was a spirited and heroic man, a great hero with superb martial arts skills! And on the day we were united, you took us three times over without showing any signs of fatigue. I thought they were just making things up! It turns out that Heaven took pity on China and pitied little Zhen'er, sending us a god!"

I hurriedly said, "No, I'm not a god, I'm just Zhen'er's husband, I'm just an ordinary person!"

Bai Xue, who had just entered the room, rushed over, tears streaming down her face, and kissed me, saying, "Long live the Emperor! It is indeed Heaven that took pity on China and us sisters, sending us a god and a good husband. From now on, just say the word, and we will definitely follow you to overturn this corrupt Qing Dynasty to its core!"

I shushed her: "This secret can't be revealed yet. We still need to use Emperor Guangxu's memorial tablet to accumulate strength, mobilize troops, and prepare to overthrow this corrupt government!"

Bai Xue complained: "Then why not just kill that old hag and sit on the throne?"

"Little sister, haste makes waste. If Cixi dies too quickly, the officials and governors of various regions will send troops to defend the emperor, and the Eight Banners and Green Standard Army will also cause trouble. China will definitely be in chaos. When our great nation of China starts fighting a civil war, foreign devils will benefit from it. They will take advantage of the chaos to invade China and occupy our land! Now my husband has already begun to sit on the throne. As long as we make proper arrangements, we can completely control the army of the whole country without shedding blood." Yan'er patted Bai Xue's shoulder and said.

Bai Xue nodded and said, "That makes sense. She has a lot of henchmen, and none of them will obediently wait for us to slaughter them. So let's detain that old hag, make her listen to us, and gradually eliminate her cronies so that Brother Long can rule the country for us!"

Fei'er clapped her hands happily and said, "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! It's like a shadow play, where we hold the strings and tell her what to say, and she'll say what we want! Today we'll make her kill Ronglu, tomorrow we'll make her kill Li Hongzhang, specifically targeting her trusted associates! Then we'll make her order the appointment of our people to official positions, seizing all the power. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" "How wonderful!"

Yan'er laughed. "It's not that simple. That Empress Dowager Cixi will never be our mouthpiece, and their counterattack will definitely be fierce!"

I said, "There are pros and cons. We have to weigh how to use her! Where is that old hag?"

Fei'er said, "In Miss Li's house in the west gate. We've covered her with a blanket and put her to sleep. We've left Li Xianglin and the others to watch over her outside!"

Just then, the young scholar outside whispered to me, "Your Majesty, Boss Zhang sent someone to say that the person you're looking for who wants to talk to Tan has arrived. He's still with him. Should we have him come over?"

Tan Sitong? Great! I'm short of people right now! I had already asked Zhang Decai to find me a few people, including Tan Sitong, the man who famously said, "I laugh as I brandish my sword to the heavens, my heart and soul remain loyal to the Kunlun Mountains." But now, in the dead of night, it's not so convenient to sneak into the Forbidden City. I thought for a moment and turned to Yan'er, saying, "Let's go together!"

I took Yan'er and flew out of the Forbidden City's walls, leaping over rooftops and ridges, until we reached the large fence outside the front gate, stopping in front of the Longxiang Bank.

Yan'er knocked on the door a few times according to the prescribed code, and a voice inside whispered, "The distant mountains are shrouded in twilight—"

Yan'er replied, "

A traveler returns on a snowy night!" The door creaked open, and a burly man with a thick beard saw us and hurriedly ushered us inside. After closing the door, he said, "The boss is here! Come on in, Boss Zhang is talking to that man!"

I happily pulled the burly man along, saying, "Come on, take us to see him!"

Chapter Thirty-Four: On Reform

I pulled the man and hurriedly went to the inner courtyard... Standing in front of the door, the man said, "Boss Long, please go in. We are not allowed to enter!"

I hurriedly went into the inner room and immediately saw two people sitting on chairs. One was an elderly man wearing a dark blue robe, with a long beard that reached his chest, a heroic face, and thick eyebrows. I recognized him as Zhang Decai. The other was an extremely handsome young man, slender and tall, with bright eyes and a white suit and a snow-white top hat. This must be Tan Sitong.

Seeing me enter the room, Zhang Decai pulled the man down, and the two of them knelt on the ground at the same time: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

I hurriedly stepped forward and helped them up, saying, "Zhenbang (Zhang Decai's courtesy name), Fusheng (Tan Sitong's courtesy name), no need for such formalities, please rise!"

I took Tan Sitong's hand and said, "I have long heard of your concern for the country and its people, and I have long wished to meet you, but I have not had the opportunity. Today, I am overjoyed to meet you at Zhenbang's place!"

Tan Sitong was flattered and hurriedly said, "I am but a commoner, yet Your Majesty remembers me. I am deeply ashamed!"

I introduced Yan'er to him, saying, "This is Empress Lin Yan, whom I have chosen myself. She is also a military officer of the court..." "Minister of Works!"

Tan Sitong hurriedly knelt down again and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!"

I quickly pulled him up and said, "There are only a few of us, no need for that formality, it's too vulgar!"

The four of us sat down, and a graceful young woman brought over some tea. I took a sip, and the fragrance filled my mouth, instantly making me feel refreshed. I couldn't help but exclaim, "Xiyan Oolong, excellent tea!" Then I asked, "Fusheng, do you know the origin of this tea?"

Tan Sitong took a sip and said, "I've heard that this tea is made from one bud and two leaves of a precious oolong tea from the 1250-meter-high Xiyan Mountain in Dapu, using a special traditional process. It has the characteristics of fragrance, sweetness, clarity, smoothness, and mellowness." Features. It is renowned as the "King of Xiyan Tea" and is a top-grade oolong tea.

I nodded and said, "Fusheng is indeed knowledgeable! Today, China is weak and troubled, foreign barbarians repeatedly lack divine power, occupying our land and killing our people. Recently, the Japanese have been eyeing our country covetously, trying to force open our doors. The Chinese nation is in danger, the vast land of China is in danger! Since you, sir, care about the people, do you know how to relieve their suffering?"

Tan Sitong smiled and said, "I am just a commoner, incapable of governing the country with my literary skills, nor of expanding our territory with my military prowess. How could I possibly have a solution to relieve the people's suffering? Perhaps I have asked the wrong question! But as a member of China, I should also care about the great affairs of China, Sitong..." "I thought the most urgent task was to implement reforms and promote new policies!"

I shook my head and said, "Implementing new policies is imperative; it is the trend of the world and a necessity for China! However, the Qing Dynasty is neither France nor Japan. China's industrial and commercial classes are declining, and feudal forces are deeply entrenched. It cannot be implemented with a single order like Napoleon and Meiji! To implement new policies, a life-or-death struggle is necessary. Therefore, reform is difficult to achieve; a revolutionary upheaval is required to ensure the implementation of new policies!"

Tan Sitong and Zhang Decai were both speechless, not knowing what to do. They couldn't understand why the emperor would overthrow himself!

I laughed: "Don't worry about me first, think about whether your new policies will even pass! The key to implementing Western new policies is a constitutional monarchy, that is, establishing a parliament, convening a national assembly, and drafting a constitution. In short, it's about changing the system from one emperor making all the decisions to everyone making all the decisions, from the emperor holding absolute power to the people holding all the power. Tell me, who would willingly relinquish their power to someone else and be controlled by them? Which of those hereditary princes and high-ranking officials would willingly submit themselves to someone else's manipulation? Without an iron fist, can your plans possibly succeed?"

He was speechless.

I said: "In today's world, the great powers strengthen themselves by plundering the assets of their colonies and seizing their lands. Their greedy mouths are already set on China. How can they allow you to become strong? How can they allow you to implement new policies? They are currently fighting tooth and nail for spheres of influence. When they realize you are becoming strong and no longer subject to their slaughter, they will unite against you. Tell me, what power do you have to deal with those wolfish and tigerish armies of the great powers?"

Tan Sitong was dumbfounded.

I continued, “If you want to implement reforms, what power do you rely on? It should be the people. But what can the people gain from your reforms? Leaving aside the long term, what the people need are immediate benefits. In China, the most urgent task is to fill their stomachs and avoid freezing or starving to death. Can your reforms solve this problem? Moreover, those with a voice in parliament are only a few wealthy and powerful people, none of whom are the people! They see no benefit from your development of Westernization and the implementation of Western science and technology to revitalize the nation. Why should they risk their lives to support you?”

Tan Sitong nodded.

“A reform with no support and opposition from all sides—how much chance of success do you think it has?”

Tan Sitong nodded in complete agreement: “Are we really willing to be invaded by foreign barbarians and let treacherous officials rule?”

I said, "Of course not! We are now facing the peril of extinction if we don't strengthen ourselves. How can we not rise up and strive for strength? That's why I say we must use an iron fist, launch a revolutionary storm, and have hundreds of millions of people join us in forcibly implementing the new policies and the constitutional monarchy. Of course, I want to be with the people, a monarch who is bound by the constitution and subject to parliamentary oversight!"

Tan Sitong immediately knelt on the ground and said, "This humble subject, Tan Sitong, is willing to follow His Majesty through fire and water, one after another, to drive out the barbarians and revitalize China!"

I immediately... He helped me up, saying, "Good, Fusheng cares for the people of the world; I am very pleased!" I sighed and said, "However, the world is in chaos, foreign barbarians are rampant, and treacherous officials are blocking our way; the situation is extremely perilous! Now we have three steps we must take: seize power, strengthen the nation, and build a strong army! Seizing power is to pave the way for implementing new policies, and to lead the people of the whole country in carrying out the grand plan to revitalize China! I am currently working on this, and I estimate I have an 80% chance of success. Although I don't have a 100% chance, the heavy responsibility of the nation weighs on my shoulders, and I dare not slacken; I must fight with all my might!" "The path to national strength is the most difficult, but my resolve is firm. I have decided: First, to develop industry, allowing merchants to mine and build factories, so that China may also possess 'powerful ships and cannons,' making China a maritime power and allowing the Chinese fleet to sail the blue ocean; Second, to develop the financial industry. The opium trade has caused 'barbarian opium to spread throughout the world, and currency to leak overseas,' resulting in an outflow of silver and an empty treasury. Therefore, to develop the financial industry, we must change silver dollars to paper money, reduce the amount of silver held by the people, and replenish the national treasury; Third, to develop foreign trade. We should allow Chinese and foreign merchants to exchange goods, except for opium, to exchange what they have for each other, and to conduct trade openly on an equal footing; Fourth, to develop education, emphasizing talent cultivation, establishing more schools, implementing universal education, and cultivating talents for scholars, craftsmen, merchants, doctors, and other professions; Fifth, to develop science and technology, relying on science and technology to drive national prosperity and strength, changing the way we purchase advanced weapons and production equipment from the West to the way the West comes to us to purchase them, earning money from foreigners, controlling the development speed of foreigners, and ensuring that China will always remain invincible!"

Tan Sitong nodded and said, "In fact, the path to national strength is the most difficult, China..." "The body is already chronically ill; strong medicine is ineffective, and mild remedies won't cure the disease. National policy is difficult to formulate!"

I nodded in agreement, paused, and said, "The path to a strong army is not easy either. To strengthen the army, we must cut half of the current redundant personnel, especially the Eight Banners troops. That will inevitably stir up a hornet's nest; the Manchu nobles will surely accuse me of being a Manchu traitor and will want to eliminate me at all costs! To strengthen the army, we must increase military spending, which means cutting other expenditures. Whoever gets cut will inevitably jump to the opposing camp and oppose you! Therefore, the opposition will be considerable!" If we don't take this step, China will be in grave danger! The path to a strong military is driven by the circumstances and the prevailing situation! The current situation is that foreign powers see China as a piece of fat meat, a delicious and easy bone to gnaw on. Therefore, all the great powers are gathering here, brandishing their swords and ready to attack China. Japan, in particular, is strongly advocating for military expansion and preparation for war with China as the target. Meanwhile, our Qing army is extremely corrupt, with lax discipline and no fighting spirit. Besides womanizing, opium smoking, and gang fights, the officers and soldiers know nothing of strategy or tactics, and have no patriotism whatsoever. Enthusiasm? The most combat-effective troops in this army are the Xiang and Huai armies, but they are composed of scoundrels and bandits. Their motivation in every battle relies on plundering civilian property. Against foreign armies, they are bound to crumble at the first contact! Without a major overhaul, without dismantling them and rebuilding a disciplined, daring, and invincible iron army, how can they possibly fight against those ferocious foreign forces?”

Tan Sitong said, “I heard His Majesty has already built an iron army?”

I said, “Whether it is an iron army or not, currently…” "We don't know yet, but at least the officers and soldiers know who they are fighting for and who they are carrying guns for! Moreover, with strict discipline and a united atmosphere, they should be able to fight with all their might in the struggles of negotiation and power. After all this talk, it all boils down to one sentence: the corrupt Qing government is not Japan, and I am not the Meiji Emperor. Relying on reform to implement new policies is a dead end. The only solution now is to take decisive action, launch a great revolution, and implement new policies on a new foundation!"

The people in the room listened with great excitement, even Yan'er's pretty face flushed red, and she clenched her fists tightly.

Chapter Thirty-Five: Surrounded by Trap

I smiled and said, “An extremely backward and corrupt social system cannot be fixed by one person alone with minor repairs; it requires major surgery! Think about it, which of its systems, from top to bottom, is reasonable? Since there is nothing reasonable, why keep it? Don't worry about me; I am first and foremost a Chinese, and only secondly the current emperor. Therefore, I must consider this from the perspective of being Chinese! Don't worry, I will join you in smashing it and building a bright new China! Okay, there are many things to say, not just a few words. Fusheng, don't leave; come with me to fight for the overthrow of the corrupt Qing Dynasty! Let me tell you one more thing: Beijing is already under our control, and Cixi is also under my control. I estimate that controlling the situation is no longer a big problem, but how to implement new policies, how to build our country, and make it strong…” "To grow strong and prosperous, that is our great task! I hope that Fusheng can contribute more to the construction of the new China!"

Tan Sitong immediately knelt down and said, "This humble subject—"

I pulled him up: "Since it is a revolution, it must start now. From now on, except for temporarily putting on a show in the court, this kneeling ceremony must not be performed again! Come, stand up and speak!"

Tan Sitong stood up and said, "Tan Sitong awaits Your Majesty's orders!"

I said to Zhang Decai, "I will write a letter. You must immediately send someone to take Mr. Tan to the military academy and give the letter to Lord Zhang Zhidong! At the same time, have the brothers in Tianjin find out everything about Li Hongzhang's movements and quickly send it to me by carrier pigeon. I will take a car to Tianjin at dawn and have them secretly meet me!"

Zhang Decai hurriedly said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will do it right away!"

Back in the room, the three of them were already lying in bed asleep. I remembered that I had to pay my respects to that old woman tomorrow and see how she was doing after yesterday's fright. Then I had to take her to see that Li Hongzhang!

Without disturbing them, I took Yan'er back to the palace, where we made love passionately before falling asleep in each other's arms.

At daybreak, I found Yan'er was gone. I knew she had gone to carry out our power seizure plan. I dressed, grabbed my gun, and went into the room where Cixi was imprisoned.

The old woman was still lying in bed. When she saw me arrive, she patted the edge of the bed and said, "Come sit over here. Your aunt is your prisoner now, she can't eat you anymore!"

I sat down next to her and said, "How is Your Majesty? Are you sleeping well?"

She said angrily, "What can I do? You made me so tired yesterday, my back and legs still ache! Do you think Your Majesty is in your way? Do you want Your Majesty to die sooner?"

I immediately said, "Your son wouldn't dare. Your son hopes Your Majesty will live a long and healthy life, helping me to steer the ship and make decisions! So that your son can kneel before you and enjoy the joys of family life!"

She stared at me blankly and said, "Is that really what you think?"

I nodded and said, "Yes, but I don't want Your Majesty to participate in politics anymore. The great land of China will be squandered by those treacherous officials you favor." "It's all over! Now almost all the world's powers have come to China, surrounding it and trying to carve it up. If Mother continues to believe those treacherous officials who are misleading the country and harming the people, not only will the Qing Dynasty be finished, but China itself will be torn to pieces by foreign barbarians, and we will all become their slaves! I only hope that you will be a good mother, a good Empress Dowager, and take care of and discipline your grandchildren for your children!"

Cixi asked again, "Did you really kill Li Lianying?"

I nodded, "He was a scourge; if we didn't kill him, it would be difficult to appease public anger!"

Cixi squeezed out two tears and said, "Bury him properly; after all, he brought Mother a lot of joy! Mother became a widow at 26, living alone in an empty house; those lonely days were truly unbearable!"

I said, "In a few days, I will find you a companion to spend your old age with!"

She sighed and said softly, "Then it's up to you how you plan to arrange things. Anyway, I'm your prisoner, and I have to listen to you in everything! You've been sickly all these years, obeying whatever your Empress Mother says. So, you were just using me as a cover for your actions? Now that you think you're strong enough to fight those people, you're kicking your aunt out? But do you even know who truly holds the power in the Qing Dynasty?"

I smiled and said, "Of course, it's in the Empress Mother's hands, but I understand what she means." "Bai, I'm going to the Zhili Governor-General's Office in Tianjin right now to discuss some important military and national affairs with him!"

Empress Dowager Cixi sighed, "You're still too inexperienced. You can't beat him. If you want to go, your mother will go with you. With my influence, I can still keep him in check!"

I immediately said happily, "That's great! With Your Majesty's intervention, I guarantee I'll get my hands on the Beiyang Fleet! Right now, several fleets are watching Li Hongzhang. If he doesn't hand it over, I won't be able to get the other fleets either! If the three major fleets don't intensify their training..." "Practice! When the Japanese come, we'll suffer a great loss!"

Empress Dowager Cixi laughed, "Don't try to scare your aunt with that Japanese nonsense. You made it up to seize power from your mother. How many heads do those Japanese have? Do they dare to mess with a great nation like the Celestial Empire? My fleet will be sent sailing, and they'll be terrified and shrink back!"

I said seriously, "Your Majesty, have you been deceived by their lies? Japan may be small, but their ambitions are great! Right now, our Great Qing is beset by internal and external troubles, our national strength is weak, and our army is disorganized. If a real war breaks out..." "It's going to be hard to stop the Japanese soldiers who are like tigers and wolves!"

Empress Dowager Cixi waved her hand and said, "Alright, Mother won't argue with you anymore! My son, please excuse yourself for a moment, Mother needs to get dressed!"

I said, "Mother, just get dressed, anyway, I admired all your little secrets yesterday! What? Do you need me to help you get dressed?"

Empress Dowager Cixi chuckled, "Alright then, you can help Mother get dressed."

I wasn't about to take advantage of her, so I called over the palace maids and stood beside them, watching them dress Empress Dowager Cixi. I turned to ask the little scholar, "Have you seen the carriage yet?"

The little scholar ran out and came back in a moment later: "It's here, it's Consort Fei!" I went up and hugged the old lady, saying, "Empress Dowager, let's go!"

I carried her into the carriage and had her sit in the front, between me and Fei'er. After Yan'er's modifications, the oil tanker had become a standard armored vehicle. My ten guards and Zhen'er, fully armed, sat inside, aiming at the outside with a heavy machine gun and nine assault rifles from various firing ports.

Weng Tonghe also came. I told him to take three thousand men and Sheng Yu to control the situation in Beijing and ensure the preparations for my personal rule ceremony. I had to leave for two days.

Weng Tonghe said, "Don't worry, the three battalions of troops have advanced to the city's edge. The city's defenses are foolproof! Several princes are in charge of the preparations. Don't forget, Prince Chun is His Majesty's father!"

I said, "Don't just rely on them. You should also lend a hand. The main thing is to prevent any trouble!"

Weng Tonghe readily agreed.

Once in the car, Fei'er told me as she drove, "Sister Yan'er and the others have already set off, and everything is proceeding according to plan!"

As the car left Beijing and drove on the bumpy, gravel road, Empress Dowager Cixi suddenly chuckled, "You said you'd change my car, but look what you've done! You've turned it into a prison cart for my confinement!"

I said, "There's no other way. You've caused China too much suffering. If I don't act now, everything will be over!"

"Your mother has already said she'll hand over power to you, and your aunt will help take care of the children from now on. Why don't you trust your mother?"

I laughed, "You're a seasoned official; would you easily hand over power to me? Nobody believes that! I have to be careful!"

Tianjin, in ancient times, was an ocean. During the Warring States period, people lived scattered here. The Han and Sui dynasties dug canals here, gradually making it an important place. During the Song and Liao dynasties, it was the front line. The Jin and Yuan dynasties called it Zhigu. The Ming dynasty established Haijin Town, later renamed Tianjin to commemorate Emperor Yongle's seizure of power, and built a city and established Tianjin Wei. During the Qing dynasty, it was a directly governed prefecture. Tianjin is an important gateway to Beijing, the capital city. More than two hours later, our car arrived at the edge of Tianjin. A pigeon flew in through the rolled-down car window and landed on my leg. Empress Dowager Cixi glanced at it and said, "You have other plans? Don't you trust your mother? Don't you trust Li Hongzhang?"

I laughed, "This is what you taught me, what's it called? You can never be too careful!"

I took the note that Pigeon had brought and saw that it was in Zhang Zhidong's handwriting. It said, "Everything is ready!" I handed the note to Fei'er, and she looked at it and said, "This is our first battle!" When

the car arrived at the gate of the Zhili Governor-General's Mansion in Tianjin, a man who looked like an officer led more than a dozen fully armed soldiers to surround the car. I poked my head out of the car door and said, "Tell your Governor-General Li that the Empress Dowager has come to inspect your place!" Upon

hearing this, the officer hurriedly ran into the house. A moment later, the gate opened, and a group of armed men ran out and stood on both sides with their guns. Then, a man with a red nose, wearing a round mink hat with a ruby top that was particularly eye-catching against the white snow, dressed in winter official robes, and with a white goatee that reached his chest, ran out. I knew that this was Li Hongzhang, the Governor-General of Zhili.

Li Hongzhang, a prominent military and political figure in late Qing Dynasty China, founder and commander of the Huai Army, and a major advocate of the Self-Strengthening Movement. His courtesy names were Zifu and Jianfu, and his pen names were Shaoquan and Yisou.

He was from Hefei, Anhui, and a key figure in the Empress Dowager Cixi's faction. Just as I opened the car door to get out, Cixi shouted, "Minister Li, get rid of Emperor

Guangxu immediately! He's a remnant of the Taiping Rebellion in disguise! He's kidnapping me!" Li Xianglin grabbed the old woman by the neck, and I swiftly jumped out, grabbed the still-shocked Li Hongzhang, and hauled him into the car. Then, with a press of a button, the windshield and doors were covered by thick steel plates, turning the car into an iron fortress.

The officers and soldiers outside, stunned, now reacted and immediately tried to retreat, but they couldn't dodge the bullets fired by Fei'er's command. The ground was littered with the corpses of Li Hongzhang's personal guards.

But the Beiyang Army, like flies attracted by blood, swarmed in larger numbers, surrounding us.

Chapter Thirty-Six: A Peaceful Resolution

I had the car driven a little further away from the Governor-General's residence. Fei'er drove off into a street, and I stopped in a spacious area. "Alright, let's fish here! This place can hold a few suckers!" I had Fei'er honk the horn for a while, and then had Li Xianglin fire a few shots into the air. I said regretfully, "Why are these people taking so long? They're a bunch of useless fools!"

After a long while, a few hundred soldiers finally arrived, lying in wait at a distance, firing useless shots at the car.

Li Hongzhang said in bewilderment, "Your Majesty, isn't it just that you want to rule from behind the curtain? I can have a good talk with the Empress Dowager and have her abdicate immediately and hand over power to Your Majesty!"

"We can't hand it over to him! He wants to abolish us all! He wants to do something new! He wants to throw away everything from our ancestors! He wants to destroy the Qing Dynasty!" Cixi had just seen that the outside was already surrounded by Li Hongzhang's soldiers. Now, like a drowning person seeing a straw, she screamed frantically. Zhen'er pulled her over and slapped her repeatedly across the face: "You old pig, you still want to harm us now!"

Cixi was still howling: "He is not Zaitian, he is a bandit who looks like Zaitian! Zaitian stutters, but he speaks fluently. I thought he was here to conceal his true intentions, but his martial arts skills tell me that he is not Zaitian!"

Li Hongzhang asked in surprise: "What is going on? How can the Empress Dowager not even recognize her own nephew? Is it because of the matter of assuming power that mother and son have fallen out? Should I go down and tell them not to misunderstand, and to prepare to welcome the Empress Dowager and His Majesty to Tianjin!"

The Beiyang Army soldiers swarmed towards us like mosquitoes smelling blood, the bullets flying like water, making the steel plates buzz!

I leaned back leisurely, closed my eyes, and chuckled, "Gentlemen, now that you have a lookout, are you checking out the attack? Hmm, this Henry Martini rifle, named for its use of Henry's patented rifle and Martini's patented lifting bolt mechanism, was only officially adopted by Britain a few years ago. They say it's the best breech-loading rifle in the world, but why does it make no sound at all when it hits a steel plate? Isn't this a copy made by Zeng Zhaoji of the Shandong Machinery Bureau? Everyone says it's good, so why is it worthless in the hands of useless soldiers like Li Hongzhang? Alas, a bad soldier makes a bad army!"

Li Hongzhang looked out through the lookout and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, we can't keep fighting like this! The more we fight, the bigger the misunderstanding will become. I'm afraid Yuan Shikai will come soon, and if he goes crazy, things will get out of control!" Looking

at Li Hongzhang, I was taken aback. Was he really not as those hereditary princes described? If he could truly be used by me, it wouldn't be a bad outcome. However, I can't let him go now. If he were to launch a counterattack like Cixi did earlier, it would be even more troublesome! Thinking of this, I said, "I ordered you to hand over the Tianjin Machinery Manufacturing Bureau and the Jiangnan Machinery Manufacturing Bureau. Why haven't you replied yet?"

Li Hongzhang looked at Cixi, stammering and unable to answer. Cixi chuckled, "It was me who wouldn't let them hand them over. What? I don't trust that girl of yours!" Damn

it, so she had already figured out that Yan'er and Fei'er were women. This woman is quite cunning! She knew but didn't show it, secretly competing with them. How ruthless!

At this moment, the Renzi Army, under the command of a short, fat, bald officer, rushed from the direction of the Governor's Mansion. The bald man seemed to be shouting something, and the soldiers all rushed towards them.

I knew that was Yuan Shikai. That brat was a major scourge on China; I couldn't let him get away with it any longer. I took a rifle from a guard, put the muzzle in the firing port, and was about to fire when, damn it, the guy just happened to duck under the sandbags. Let him catch his breath!

Yuan Shikai, probably impatient, stood up again, gesturing and saying something. I saw a soldier running back for his life.

I was about to raise my gun when that damn brat ducked back under the sandbags again, so I had to put my gun down.

Zhen'er asked, "Who is that bald man? Does His Majesty want to eliminate him?"

I said, "His name is Yuan Shikai. He's a typical ambitious man, a major scourge to China's future. He can't be allowed to live!"

Li Hongzhang was stunned. He asked strangely, "Why does His Majesty call him an ambitious man? A general without ambition is a coward, isn't he? I see he has plenty of loyalty!"

I didn't want to argue with him, so I just said calmly, "Ambition is not the same as ambition. He has the heart of a traitor to disrupt the country and the government! This man cannot be allowed to live!"

Suddenly, the soldiers stirred. I saw the soldier who had run away earlier leading a sleigh of horses pulling a cannon cart. Yuan Shikai happily waved for the cannon cart to come.

Damn it, this is bad! Even if my car is reinforced with steel plates, it can't beat a cannon! I hurriedly said to Li Hongzhang, "Look at Yuan Shikai! He knew you were in the car and still wanted to fire the cannon. Is that loyalty? Move the car forward and blow up that cannon!"

Just as Fei'er was about to drive forward, she suddenly laughed, "Look, Li Bin is here with his men!"

Sure enough, the men from the Buyi Society that Li Bin brought, all with white cloths tied around their arms, rushed over and surrounded the soldiers lying behind the sandbags again, and disarmed the cannons as well.

Like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind, those Beiyang soldiers never dreamed that thousands of Beiyang soldiers would appear behind them and surround them.

Li Hongzhang panicked: "Your Majesty, we can't let the soldiers kill each other!

That Yuan Shikai was hiding in the crowd trying to stab us in the back, but Zhen'er shot him so hard his skull was blown off. This President of the Republic of China, who once dreamed of being emperor, has ended his wicked life prematurely."

Soldiers on both sides immediately opened fire, resulting in casualties on both sides.

Li Hongzhang, even more anxious, stood up: "Your Majesty, I am guilty! Your Majesty may kill me, but this army is the lifeblood of the nation! I beg you to stop the fighting!"

Empress Dowager Cixi sighed: "Let him go. He has long advised me to let my son rule in his own right. He probably has no ill intentions towards you!"

I thought for a moment, then handed him the microphone. He shouted: "I am Li Hongzhang! All of you, put down your guns! The Empress Dowager and His Majesty are inspecting work in Tianjin. What are you all doing, making such a ruckus? Behave yourselves immediately! Li Bin, keep the troops in check, don't disturb His Majesty!"

Li Bin was stunned. I immediately took the microphone and said, "I am Principal Li Bin. Immediately restrain the soldiers and do not fire!" I

pulled Li Hongzhang out of the car, and the soldiers on both sides immediately knelt down, shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

We walked hand in hand into the Governor's Mansion, where we saw Bai Xue, Zhao Hu, and Nie Shicheng leading a group of people surrounding the mansion. Seeing us, they rushed over, saying, "Your Majesty is in great danger!"

I smiled and said, "With Governor Li protecting me, what danger is there?"

Li Hongzhang also said, "Here, I am willing to guarantee Your Majesty's safety with my life!"

I smiled and said, "Let's go, let's go into the Presidential Mansion first. Governor Li has already said it, don't you believe me?"

Bai Xue said, "Sister Yan'er has already taken people to Lushun Port. I'm afraid Admiral Ding there will not accept our incorporation!"

Li Hongzhang asked, "Your Majesty wants to incorporate the navy?"

I said, "The navy should be placed under the direct command of the Naval Office. I sent you an official document, but I haven't heard from you!" Li

Hongzhang thought for a moment and said, "I dare not speak ill of Your Majesty, but I am also worried that Minister Weng, a mere civil official, might not be able to manage the fleet well. However, since Your Majesty has personally inquired, I will immediately order them to quickly hand over the duties to the people Your Majesty sent. I have recently heard that the Japanese are strengthening their naval construction. Their only enemy is our Great Qing. I am concerned that our Great Qing fleet does not have much of an advantage! Please reconsider, Your Majesty!"

I nodded, "Shaoquan's concerns are very valid. That is precisely why I have placed the navy under the direct command of the Naval Office, in order to accelerate naval construction!"

We went into the room, and Li Hongzhang picked up the telephone. I said, "Who can I contact with this telephone?"

Li Hongzhang said, "Considering the importance of coastal defense, I have already laid telegraph lines in all the coastal provinces and also laid an undersea cable between Xiamen and Taiwan. It's just that the Empress Dowager in the palace finds it too noisy and has not allowed me to install it!" "

After saying that, he made phone calls to the Beiyang Fleets in Weihaiwei and Lushun.

At this moment, Zhen'er came in and asked, 'Your Majesty, what about Cixi?'

I suddenly blurted out, 'Find her a companion!'

Chapter Thirty-Seven Beiyang Fleet

After saying that, I laughed at myself! I promised to find Cixi a companion this morning, how come it just popped into my head now? But since I said it, I have to keep my word. Anyway, we can't kill her easily. First, she is an old hand, and to connect many historical things, we still need to keep learning from her; second, we still need to use Cixi's name for the time being to avoid a situation of division and civil war. Killing her is easy, using her is difficult! Besides, even the great traitor, Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, could be reformed. Why can't we learn from him? I don't want to reform her. Can her stubborn head be reformed? I don't believe it even if you beat me to death! What's wrong with just keeping her as an old hand? Maybe she'll be a living negative example!"

Thinking of this, I said, "Take her back and put her under house arrest!"

Concerned about the naval situation in Weihaiwei and Lushun, I decided to go to Lushun. Li Hongzhang and I, along with Empress Dowager Cixi, drove northeast towards Lushun.

Since there were no gas stations at the time, I had Guo Wencai procure two barrels of oil in Tianjin to take with me, and then filled the car up before setting off.

Because the windshield and door panels were open, the car was quite bright inside. I had Li Hongzhang and Cixi sit in the front. Cixi was completely devastated; the reason she kept trying to appease me with sweet words was that she hoped the Governor-General of Zhili would turn the tide for her. But now all hope was lost; her departure from politics was inevitable, and because of her risky move earlier, she probably wouldn't even be able to save her life! She was now huddled up, leaning against Li Hongzhang like a soft pile of dough. Li Hongzhang's heart was also in turmoil. He hadn't expected the usually submissive Guangxu to suddenly become so powerful, and he certainly hadn't expected that more than half of his personal guards would become opposition! As for the claim that Guangxu wasn't Zaitian, he simply didn't believe it. Could a living person really imitate him? He knew Cixi had said that out of anger because she felt her power had been taken away! Seeing that the emperor's attitude towards him had improved, he might as well lean on him! Perhaps following the young emperor was a good move; at least he didn't allow the navy's funds to be wasted on building the Summer Palace—he was a shrewd man!

He thought, now that Cixi was crumbling, he couldn't afford to. Perhaps this was the time to test himself, so he straightened his back and even stretched out an arm to support the almost drowsy Cixi.

As darkness fell, I relieved Fei'er, letting her squeeze into the back with Zhen'er and Baixue. The three of them huddled together, pulling and tugging at each other, fast asleep.

The road was bumpy and uneven. As dawn broke, the carriage entered Lushun. I looked again and saw Cixi completely nestled in Li Hongzhang's arms, her arms tightly wrapped around him as she slept. I smiled. Without me forcing her, she'd snuggled into Li Hongzhang's embrace. It seemed there was no need to find her another old man; just leave her to Li Hongzhang! Perhaps it was a good choice!

On the way to the naval headquarters, I stopped the car and asked about the commotion there yesterday. Everyone was bewildered: "What could have happened? They're just training their cannons at sea all day, what else could they be doing?"

I asked if a cavalry unit had come yesterday.

The man laughed: "Of course they came! Otherwise, I wouldn't have sold so much pork. The naval headquarters said they had guests, and they'd sell me a bunch of pork, which made me a real profit!"

I knew the Beiyang Fleet was now under my control!

Sure enough, when I arrived at the headquarters, the guard was my student. Seeing me, he quickly saluted: "Good morning, Principal Long!"

I returned the salute and asked, "Where are Principal Zhang and Principal Lin?" " They're

talking with Admiral Ding. They said they'd be going to board the ship later!"

I knew they were talking about the warship's equipment, so I said, "Take me to see how their talks are going!"

The naval commander, Ding Ruchang, courtesy name Xianda, also known as Yuting, was from Dingjiakan Village, Beixiang Township, Lujiang County, Anhui Province. Having just been officially appointed Admiral of the Beiyang Fleet, he was a former army officer with no prior knowledge of modern naval affairs. However, he was a diligent and studious man, eager to learn, conscientious in his duties, and hardworking. Under his command, the Beiyang Fleet underwent a complete transformation. During the Battle of the Yellow Sea, he led from the front, and despite being seriously wounded, he refused to leave the deck to tend to his wounds, remaining on deck to oversee the battle. During the Battle of Weihaiwei, facing enemy attempts to induce surrender and coercion from some reactionary officials, he remained steadfast and unyielding, vowing to fight to the death, ultimately committing suicide by opium. For such a patriotic general, I should elevate him to a higher level, allowing him to lead the fleet into the blue ocean!

I entered his office, where Zhang Zhidong, Yan'er, Ding Ruchang, Wu Biao, Long An, Sheng Yu, and more than ten unfamiliar officers knelt down, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

I quickly helped Ding Ruchang up and said, "My dear ministers, please rise. The Beiyang Fleet is the largest fleet in our country, and I have been thinking of it. That is why you and Governor-General Shao Quan have come to see the fleet!" Ding

Ruchang happily said, "It is our honor that Your Majesty is thinking of our fleet. We welcome Your Majesty to inspect our ship!"

Li Hongzhang also said, "Since Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager are here, you should board the ship and see the magnificent appearance of our warships, and also point out our shortcomings!"

I said calmly, "Very well, board the ship. I want to see your warships!"

The group arrived at the dock, and I said, "Let's board the Zhiyuan!"

As I spoke, I walked towards that warship.

As soon as I boarded the warship, a large wolfhound began barking wildly nearby. I asked sternly, "Who brought a dog on board?"

A burly naval officer stepped forward, bowed his head, and said, "It was brought by Deng Shichang, the captain of the Zhiyuan!"

I was taken aback, but immediately said sternly, "How can a captain who indulges in debauchery and debauchery manage a ship? Take the dog away immediately, give Deng Shichang a demerit, and from now on, anyone who brings a dog on board will be discharged from the military and never allowed to board a ship again!"

Deng Shichang was stunned for a moment, but immediately said loudly, "Yes, from now on, anyone who brings a dog on board will be discharged from the military!"

With that, he waved his hand, and a sailor led the dog away.

As the soldier was disembarking, he said, "Give the dog to Asiber. Tell him Shichang is a soldier, he needs to take good care of the ship, and he has no interest in playing with dogs anymore!"

I nodded in satisfaction, turned around and ordered, "Weigh anchor and set sail!"

The Zhiyuan was a steel-hulled cruiser, built by the British Armstrong shipyard at a cost of 845,000 taels of silver. It was completed in 1887 and returned to China in November of that year. The ship was approximately 76 meters long, 12 meters wide, and had a draft of approximately 5 meters, a displacement of 2,300 tons, and 2-4 inches thick domed armor. It was powered by four boilers producing 7,500 horsepower from two shafts, achieving a speed of 18 knots. Its armament consisted of three 21 cm Krupp main guns, two 15 cm Armstrong main guns, eight 57 mm guns, six gatling machine guns, and four 18-inch torpedo tubes. It was the best warship the Qing Dynasty had ever built.

Deng Shichang was now fully immersed in his command role, loudly issuing orders and directing the warships into the turbulent sea.

Yan'er and Fei'er, naturally very interested in the performance of the warship's equipment and weapons, ran up and down the ship with Xue'er and Zhen'er, inspecting the weapons and the four boilers, calculating how to improve them to enhance combat effectiveness and speed.

Ding Ruchang, meanwhile, accompanied them, explaining the equipment. It seemed that although he wasn't formally trained in naval affairs, he was quite knowledgeable and not an amateur!

Seeing his proud expression, I decided to deflate his ego. I asked him, "Lord Ding, which navy do you think is stronger, ours or the Japanese navy?"

Ding Ruchang thought for a moment and said, "Equal in military strength!"

I shook my head and said, "Not so, we are inferior to Japan!"

Chapter Thirty-Eight Encountering the Enemy at Sea

Ding Ruchang was startled and asked, "In what way are we inferior?"

I said, "First, our warships are slower than Japan's. Several large Japanese ships are now traveling at 24 or 25 knots, while we are still stuck at around 14 knots. Second, although our navy's heavy artillery has a large caliber, it is all breech-loading. After firing, we need to clean the breech, then load the shells, pack the gunpowder one by one, and then fire. Japanese warships' rapid-fire guns only need to load the shells into the breech, saving us a lot of time. Third, our sea-land coordination is inferior to the Japanese. The Japanese fleet and army are all under the command of the General Staff Headquarters, a single command." "At the center, we have multiple command centers, each acting independently! Moreover, the Japanese have conducted numerous large-scale joint sea-land military exercises, while we have never conducted one; fourthly, our strategic thinking is inferior to the Japanese; the Japanese strategic intent is clear: to destroy the Qing Dynasty navy in China, while we have always positioned our fleet for coastal defense. The defeat at the Battle of Mawei was not due to the incompetence of the soldiers, but to the poor command from above, who blindly appeased the enemy and prevented the soldiers from counterattacking or preparing for war, causing our army to lose the initiative!"

Ding Ruchang fell silent, then lowered his head and thought for a long time before saying, "Under the Beiyang Army, there is still the army to cooperate with; under the direct management of the Naval Office, isn't it even more impossible to cooperate with the army?"

I said, "No, our Naval Office is also under the unified leadership of the Ministry of National Defense. The Ministry of National Defense will ensure coordinated sea-land operations, and it can coordinate the strength and cooperation between the various fleets according to the needs of the operation!"

During this time, I got to know some of the young men who had graduated from the Royal Naval College. They were all so spirited and energetic; the Emperor's personal inspection of the fleet had given them hope for its future, and they were all very excited, laughing and joking together – truly a picture of scholarly arrogance and boundless confidence!

I had Wu Biao call them over. Several of them stood before me, so nervous they could hardly breathe, some even secretly wiping away sweat.

I smiled: "Don't be nervous. Governor Li and I just wanted to get to know you. Come, sit down! Let me introduce myself first. I am Aisin-Gioro Zaitian, the Guangxu Emperor. However, I don't want you to call me 'Long Live the Emperor,' because I am also the principal of the East Point Military Academy. My other name there is Long Xiangyu, so I hope you will just call me Principal Long!"

Li Hongzhang also said: "I am Li Hongzhang, the advocate of the Self-Strengthening Movement. My courtesy name is Zifu, and my pen name is Shaoquan. I am from Hefei, Anhui."

Our explanation eased their tension somewhat.

I said again, "I and Governor Li have finished our introductions. Now, you all introduce yourselves! Little Fatty, you go first, then the others line up!"

The little Fatty stood up, wiped his sweat, and said, "Your subject is Liu Buchan, courtesy name Zixiang, a native of Fujian. A first-term student of the Mawei Naval Academy. In 1874, I was appointed captain of the training ship Jianwei. In 1877, I went to England to study and trained on the British armored battleship 'Manado'. I returned to China in 1879 and am currently the captain of the gunboat Zhenbei."

I nodded, "Good, with both academic qualifications and practical experience, you are in your prime! Next!"

A composed young man stood up and said, "Your subject is Lin Taizeng, courtesy name Kaishi... " A native of Minxian County, Fujian Province. A first-term student of the Mawei Naval Academy. In 1877, he went to England to study, serving on the armored battleship HMS Solekbolt. After returning to China, he served on the Zhenyuan warship. "

You've reached a mature stage and should take on greater responsibilities. Next!"

A lean and capable young man stood up: "Your subject is Ye Zugui, courtesy name Tonghou, a native of Minhou, Fujian Province, a first-term student of the Mawei Naval Academy. In 1877, he went to England to study, and the following year first served on the armored battleship HMS Solekbolt, then transferred to the cruiser HMS Finsbury. After returning to China, he served on the gunboat Zhenbian."

I nodded: "Good, you should shoulder some responsibility! Next!"

"Your subject, Lin Yongsheng, courtesy name Zhongqing, was a native of Houguan, Fujian, and a first-term student of the Mawei Naval Academy. In 1877, he went to England to study, and the following year he served as an intern on the armored battleship 'Manado'. In 1881, he was transferred to the Beiyang Fleet and served as an intern on the gunboat

'Zhenzhong'." "Your subject, Fang Boqian, courtesy name Yitang, was a native of Houguan, Fujian, and a first-term student of the Mawei Naval Academy. In 1877, he went to England to study, and the following year he served as an intern on the gunboat 'Enyanfu', and later transferred to the cruiser 'Tubandeng'. After returning to China, he served as captain on the training ship 'Weiyuan'."

"Your subject, Huang Jianxun, courtesy name Juren, is from Yongsheng, Fujian. He was a first-term graduate of the Mawei Naval Academy and studied in France and England. During his time in England, he served as an apprentice on the cruiser HMS Beryllow in the Royal Navy's Atlantic Fleet, and later as a trainee second officer on the armored battleship HMS B?rle-Roffin, earning a certificate of excellence. In 1881, he was transferred to the Beiyang Fleet and is currently the captain of the Zhenxi."

Jiang Chaoying, Yan Zongguang, He Xinchuan, and Sa Zhenbing were also introduced. Sa Zhenbing's original words were: "Others make gold bracelets for their wives, but my gold bracelet is worn on my ship." Jiang Maozhi also introduced himself.

I knew that almost all of these people had sacrificed their lives or committed suicide in the First Sino-Japanese War, leaving only Sa Zhenbing and Jiang Maozhi, the two youngest, who later became the backbone of rebuilding the Chinese Navy! Now that I am here, I cannot let them follow that old path again. I want them to become heroes who bury the Japanese Navy and become the pride of this navy! Moreover, this Sa Zhenbing was frugal, investing everything he owned into the warships. He once said, "Others make gold bracelets for their wives, but my gold bracelet is for my ship." These are the elite of the Chinese navy! To not make good use of them would be a disservice to our ancestors who placed them in this era!

I said sternly to Li Hongzhang, "These people are the treasures of our nation, the main force of the navy's future! You don't seem to want to use them much?"

Li Hongzhang blushed with shame and hurriedly explained, "I wanted them to accumulate more grassroots experience!"

I ignored Li Hongzhang and turned to the young officers, saying, "You are the cream of the Qing navy, the hope of the Chinese navy. I hope you will combine your knowledge with the realities of our navy to build our navy into the world's number one navy! Let our navy sail the blue ocean!"

Just then, Bai Xue walked in and said, "Admiral Ding is in command..." "In the cabin, he said he'd spotted a suspicious merchant ship. It wasn't taking the designated shipping lanes, nor was it heading towards our dock; instead, it was drifting along the coast, seemingly surveying the waterways! It was flying an English flag!"

Li Hongzhang and I rushed to the command cabin, took the binoculars Deng Shichang handed us, and I looked at it, saying, "Regardless of its nationality, it's within our territorial waters. Order it to stop for inspection."

As soon as the signal was given, the ship immediately turned and sped off. I ordered, "Chase after it! Intercept it!"

The Zhiyuan immediately gave chase at full speed, but unfortunately, our warship was too slow, and the distance gradually increased!

I ordered, "Fire! Warn it to stop for inspection!"

A cannon on the starboard side fired, but the ship ignored it and sped even faster.

I knew this was definitely a spy ship, likely conducting maritime surveys for an enemy invasion!

I immediately ordered, "Captain Deng, sink it!"

Deng Shichang immediately gave the order to engage the enemy.

The gunners of the cannon that had just fired were frantically cleaning the breech and stuffing packets of gunpowder into the shells, clearly indicating that if they fired again, the enemy ship would have already fled.

A cannon next to the one that had fired earlier opened fire again, the shell exploding a few dozen meters from the enemy ship, which sped away even faster.

I whispered, "Correct the bearing, fire again!"

Deng Shichang reissued the order: "45 degrees to starboard, 340 yards, position four, fire!"

The shell missed again, hitting the enemy ship a few dozen yards away.

I ordered, "Huang Fei, you take command! Lin Yan, go help operate the cannon!"

They both immediately replied, "Yes, sir!"

Lin Yan ran quickly out, and a moment later, a voice came from her gun position: "Position one, ready!"

Fei'er stood in the command position and shouted, "41 degrees to starboard, 424 yards, fire!"

A shell whistled towards the enemy ship, and with a loud boom, the enemy ship billowed smoke and spun around in the sea.

"Good, excellent! One shot, hit the target!"

Cheers erupted from the warship.

Deng Shichang grabbed Fei'er's hand and said, "Teacher Huang, please accept Deng Shichang as your student!"

Fei'er happily replied, "Great! Our Principal Long is about to start a naval training course, and you'll be the first student!"

Li Hongzhang glared at him and said, "Why aren't you heading up there to capture prisoners right now!"

Deng Shichang scratched his head and smiled, then immediately ordered, "Go close and capture them alive!"

The warship moved close and captured the remaining three men alive. After extinguishing the fire on the ship, the warship towed the vessel back to the dock.

When the dock workers saw us returning with a ship, they immediately erupted in celebration, welcoming us with gongs and drums, like welcoming triumphant heroes.

I instructed Ding Ruchang to interrogate the three men immediately. It turned out they were from a Japanese survey ship, whose mission was to conduct surveys of Chinese ports under the guise of commercial activities, preparing for the invasion of China.

Today's events deeply affected Ding Ruchang. He came to me with his head bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I was wrong. Our fleet is far from meeting the requirements of future operations. I beg Your Majesty to dismiss me!"

Li Hongzhang also said, "Your Majesty, dismiss me as well. The lack of naval training is my fault. I haven't allocated enough funds to them! I am incompetent and it is truly difficult to raise more funds to pay for naval expenses. Li Lianying once asked me to use the naval pretext to instruct the provincial officials to allocate a fixed amount annually, of which half should be used for garden construction. Because of the difficult national situation, I cannot bear to let the people's hard-earned money be wasted, so I have not yet agreed!"

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