[Romantic Anecdotes of the Qing Dynasty Court] [93] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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Chapter Ninety-Three: Shu Yu, bored and restless, strolls on the spring ice, reminiscing about old grievances, and contemplates throwing away his hairpins and earrings. Meanwhile, Sun Yat-sen, trapped in the embassy and unable to escape, was extremely anxious. He consulted with a embassy servant, asking him to send a letter to the physician, Dr. H. L. Sun. The servant refused, fearing trouble. Sun Yat-sen earnestly persuaded him, saying, "Be bold and go. If anything happens, I will arrange for outside help to salvage the situation."
Knowing Sun Yat-sen was no ordinary man and unlikely to implicate him, the servant agreed. He secretly hid Sun Yat-sen's letter and went to see Dr. H. L. Sun, recounting Sun Yat-sen's imprisonment in detail. Dr. H. L. Sun was greatly shocked, saying, "I warned him to be careful, and now he's indeed imprisoned." He then sent the servant away and, on the other hand, asked an English newspaper reporter to publish the story of the Chinese minister's unauthorized arrests within British territory. Upon receiving this news, the British government was unwilling to let the matter rest. They sent a note to the Chinese embassy stating that arresting someone within British territory violated British law and that there was no precedent for such an act even under international law. Seeing foreign interference, the Chinese embassy dared not violate this precedent and had no choice but to release Sun Yat-sen and apologize to the British government, thus settling the matter. Having escaped, Sun Yat-sen left Britain that very night to continue his journey to Japan to find his comrades.
At that time, after Sun Yat-sen's escape, the Revive China Society in Guangdong was led by members such as Yang Shaobai. Given Sun Yat-sen's previous failure, they remained inactive, waiting for an opportunity. However, Li Xiehe from Anhua caused trouble in Hunan, which was discovered by the Hunan police, who secretly ordered his arrest. Seeing the situation was dire, Li Xiehe fled to the United States. The students of Changsha Normal School, who were scheduled to revolt, suffered greatly, as they were all arrested. The school was also sealed off; the ringleaders were executed on the spot, those who followed were imprisoned, and the unsuspecting were released—dozens of lives had been needlessly lost. Sun Yat-sen, hearing in Japan that the Revive China Society had not been eradicated, printed many more of its charters and sent them to China to promote revolution and recruit young people. When these charters reached Beijing, a Manchu censor submitted a memorial to the Empress Dowager Cixi, attaching the charters to the memorial. The Empress Dowager read them and found that the charters spoke scathingly of the Qing government's administration, its internal corruption, the appointment of cronies, the Manchus' monopoly of power, and the enslavement of Han Chinese, etc.; the listed problems struck a chord with her. Empress Dowager Cixi chuckled, "This man has repeatedly stirred up revolutions, and people are easily swayed by him. He must have some talent. It's a pity he refuses to relinquish power; otherwise, he would be quite a capable man." A group of Manchu censors overheard this casual remark and, believing it to be in accordance with the Empress Dowager's wishes, submitted memorials the next day requesting the pacification of Sun Yat-sen. The Empress Dowager, upon seeing such memorials, could only laugh them off.
Meanwhile, after Emperor Guangxu returned to Beijing from Xi'an, the Empress Dowager viewed him with increasing unease. Why? Because Emperor Guangxu's reforms during the Hundred Days' Reform, which heavily relied on Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao and implemented reforms to the old system, had been overthrown by the Empress Dowager, who then ruled from behind the curtain three times.
Unexpectedly, at this time, he listened to the advice of Prince Duan and Gangyi, misusing the Boxer Rebellion's policy of exterminating foreigners, resulting in a hasty retreat westward and utter defeat, far worse than the peaceful period when Emperor Guangxu assumed personal rule. Therefore, the Empress Dowager was deeply uneasy. Then, through the instigation of the eunuchs, it was said that the Emperor ridiculed the Boxers for the Empress Dowager's trust. The Empress Dowager initially felt ashamed and remorseful, but eventually, her anger and resentment towards the Emperor grew, needless to say. Furthermore, she tightened the gates to Yingtai, where Emperor Guangxu resided, much more strictly than before. Before the Boxer Rebellion, there was a bridge on the left side of Yingtai, besides the boats; the bridge was made of white stone and could be raised and lowered freely. During the day, the bridge was lowered, allowing palace maids and concubines to cross at any time. However, after the Boxer Rebellion, when the two palaces returned to the capital, Guangxu remained in Yingtai. Initially, he was very comfortable, but after a short time, the Empress Dowager ordered the bridge to be lowered, forbidding it from being raised arbitrarily day or night. Concubines, summoned, crossed in small boats, escorted by eunuchs on the water bridge—this almost became the norm. At this time, Emperor Guangxu had only Consort Jin attending to him. Every moonlit evening and flower-filled morning, with Consort Jin by his side, he would think of Consort Zhen and couldn't help but weep. Consort Jin would also weep bitterly. The two would grieve for a while, their faces etched with sadness.
On another occasion, due to severe cold and heavy snow, with snow piled up three feet deep on the ground, the Empress Dowager Cixi ordered a eunuch to make a fox fur robe to bestow upon the Emperor. She instructed the eunuch, "Present the robe to the Emperor, saying that it was personally bestowed by the Empress Dowager, that the fabric is cloth, but the buttons are gold. Repeat these words three or four times, and see how the Emperor responds, then report back."
The eunuch received the order, crossed to Yingtai by small boat, presented the robe, and, as the Empress Dowager Cixi had instructed, said... Emperor Guangxu initially pretended not to hear, but eventually, growing impatient with the eunuch's words, he angrily said, "I understand. The Empress Dowager means I will die in a way that is not worthwhile. But I know that even if I die now, it will not be a proper death, so I might as well prolong my life a little longer. No, everyone dies eventually. There is a difference between a worthwhile death and a worthless one. Although the Empress Dowager wants me to die immediately, I will not die because it is not worthwhile. Go and tell the Empress Dowager that this is what I said." Seeing that Emperor Guangxu was angry, the eunuch dared not say anything more and hurriedly left. Consort Jin, standing beside him, changed color and said, "Your Majesty, aren't you afraid of angering the Empress Dowager with these words?
" Emperor Guangxu smiled unconsciously and said, "I have come to this point, why should I be afraid of her? At worst, she can treat me like Su Shun." Upon hearing this, Consort Jin quickly gave him a look, but Emperor Guangxu was too angry to care. It turned out that Xiang'er happened to be serving the Emperor at that time. Consort Jin knew he was the Empress Dowager's spy, so she tried her best to stop Emperor Guangxu, telling him not to speak carelessly and cause trouble.
But who was this Xiang'er? If you recall, before the Boxer Rebellion, the Empress Dowager had set up the Ruyi Pavilion in the Summer Palace, recruiting young men from all over the country to serve as its staff. At that time, the eunuch Li Liuliu met Guan Qu'an and recommended him to the pavilion. After joining the pavilion, Guan Qu'an gained the Empress Dowager's favor and was frequently summoned for audiences. In front of the palace eunuchs, she called Qu'an "my son" and also "Xiang'er." As a result, everyone in the palace called Qu'an "Xiang Beizi," similar to the former Xiang Wang Quan Heng. Since Xiang'er had gained such power, he entered and left the palace, acting as the Empress Dowager's eyes and ears, spying on others' actions and reporting them to her. People in the palace also called him Shunfeng (meaning "smooth sailing"), because no matter how trivial the matter, the Empress Dowager always knew, and it was Xiang'er who reported it. Consort Jin understood very well that although she was anxious to see the Emperor talking nonsense like this, she couldn't stop him.
After a moment, Xiang'er indeed went to inform the Emperor. Later, the edict prohibiting ministers from going to Yingtai to inquire about the Emperor's well-being was soon issued. Although Emperor Guangxu was confined to Yingtai, ministers going to inquire about his health or provincial officials coming to pay their respects could have been allowed.
After this incident, the Empress Dowager suspected that Emperor Guangxu harbored deep resentment towards her, and that if ministers were to arbitrarily enter and create a story like the "Imperial Edict in the Belt," she had to take precautions in advance. On another occasion, Cen Chunxuan had previously led troops to defend the Emperor in Xi'an, and the Empress Dowager greatly praised him, so she appointed him as the Governor-General of Sichuan. Before leaving, Cen Chunxuan requested to go to Yingtai to pay his respects to the Emperor. Upon seeing Cen Chunxuan, Emperor Guangxu burst into tears after a few words, about to pour out his heart, when Xiang'er suddenly entered from outside. Emperor Guangxu immediately changed color and stood up, saying nothing. Cen Chunxuan, sensing the opportunity, gracefully bowed and withdrew. But Xiang'er, being a shrewd person, saw this situation between the emperor and his subject and, already harboring suspicions, secretly informed the Empress Dowager. According to the Empress Dowager, the edict to prevent the emperor from attending the court was already in effect, but it was postponed to avoid hindering Xiang'er. Now, with Emperor Guangxu venting his frustrations, Xiang'er told the Empress Dowager. Knowing that the emperor had not forgotten her resentment, the Empress Dowager immediately severed all communication with Yingtai.
Emperor Guangxu, confined to Yingtai Palace, had only two palace maids and four eunuchs. He spent his days facing Consort Jin, and grew increasingly melancholy. His residence was in Hanyuan Hall, Yingtai being merely a general name. Hanyuan Hall consisted of three single-story rooms, each only about ten feet wide; behind them was a small tower. When Emperor Guangxu was extremely depressed, he would climb the tower to gaze out, but after only a few minutes, he would sigh deeply and slowly descend. Opposite Hanyuan Hall was Yixiang Hall, the Empress's residence. Although the Empress sometimes attended him, Emperor Guangxu rarely spoke to her; in fact, since his imprisonment, he had never visited Yixiang Hall. Therefore, the Empress and Emperor Guangxu maintained a facade of harmony while harboring resentment. Seeing the Emperor's favoritism towards Consort Jin, the Empress grew even more resentful. However, Empress Nara was the niece of the Empress Dowager Cixi, and she wanted to marry Emperor Guangxu to secure her position and maintain absolute power. But Emperor Guangxu did not favor his current Empress. Because the Empress Dowager Cixi instructed him to give the jade ruyi (a type of scepter) to his niece when choosing an empress, Emperor Guangxu would always have his daughters of empress-like rank lined up before him in the palace before he could choose. He would then present the jade ruyi to the chosen one. Emperor Guangxu intended to give the ruyi to Consort Zhen, but given the Empress Dowager's prior instruction, he dared not disobey. He pretended to drop it accidentally, shattering the fine jade ruyi. The Empress Dowager was greatly displeased by this, and a rift developed between mother and son. After the wedding, Emperor Guangxu naturally disliked the empress. The Empress Dowager, wanting his obedience, knowing he loved Consort Zhen, made Consort Zhen and her sisters concubines. With Consort Zhen and her sisters in power, Emperor Guangxu held the empress in even lower regard. How could the empress not be angry seeing the concubines favored? Therefore, he would often cry and complain before the Empress Dowager, and take the opportunity to beat Consort Zhen and her sisters. Although he vented his anger through this, Emperor Guangxu regarded the Empress Dowager as an enemy. When the Boxer Rebellion broke out, the two empresses fled to make arrangements. Taking advantage of this, the Empress Dowager ordered Consort Zhen to be executed, which could be considered revenge for the Empress. After returning to the capital, Emperor Guangxu missed Consort Zhen and believed that the Empress Dowager was responsible for her death. Therefore, he lived with the Empress on Yingtai, which was only a stone's throw away. However, Emperor Guangxu never went to the Yixiang Palace and never spoke to her. The couple were like strangers. One day, Emperor Guangxu felt extremely suffocated on Yingtai. He wanted to go out, but there was no bridge or boat to cross the river. He leaned against the window and hesitated for a while.
Seeing that the water was covered with thick ice, he had a strange idea: to walk across the ice to the other side. Consort Jin hurriedly tried to dissuade him, saying, "That ice floats on the water and isn't very solid. If you step on it and suddenly sink, wouldn't that be very dangerous?"
Emperor Guangxu stubbornly refused to listen and was determined to cross the ice. He had a eunuch help him, and he walked step by step towards the ice. Near the shore, the ice was indeed very thick, and a person could walk on it without breaking. But in the middle, as it gradually deepened, it became thinner and less solid. When Emperor Guangxu reached this point, he realized the ice was somewhat unreliable. Just as he was regretting his actions, the eunuch's foot sank into the water. The eunuchs on the other side rushed to help him in a small boat. After a lot of effort, Emperor Guangxu finally reached the other side. Little did he know that while Emperor Guangxu was walking on the ice, the Empress was washing and grooming in the Yixiang Palace. She saw someone walking on the river in the mirror and was quite surprised. She quickly looked out the window and saw the Emperor wading across the ice. She thought to herself, "He's been acting strangely lately, his behavior is quite erratic. But Consort Jin isn't insane, so why didn't she stop him? If the Emperor is in danger, I'm here too, how can I not take responsibility?" She hurriedly dressed herself and took a small boat across the river to report to the Empress Dowager. Meanwhile,
Emperor Guangxu, having reached Yingtai, was overjoyed, like a bird released from its cage.
He ordered a eunuch to row over and fetch Consort Jin, and the two of them strolled hand in hand around the various spots. Reaching the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, Emperor Guangxu sighed deeply, saying, "I still remember that year when I discussed state affairs here with Master Weng and even summoned Kang Youwei. Unexpectedly, after meeting Yuan Shikai here, I could no longer come here. Recalling those days is as vivid as if they were happening right before my eyes. However, the circumstances before and now are so vastly different; how can I not feel sorrow when I think of it?" Having said this, Emperor Guangxu looked at Consort Jin, a touch of sadness creeping into his eyes. Consort Jin, fearing that the Emperor might be reminded of the past and fall ill with depression, quickly comforted him, saying, "That was like a dragon temporarily trapped in a pond; one day, when it encounters thunder and rain, it will soar straight to the heavens with a thunderous roar." Emperor Guangxu nodded slightly, then sighed again, "How short is human life? Youth fades quickly. It's not as good as those ordinary families, husband and wife living in harmony and joy! When we went to Xi'an, we saw ordinary farming couples, the man tilling the fields and the woman weaving; their families had an indescribable happiness. We, as emperors, are not as fortunate as them. No wonder Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty said: 'I wish I could never be born into an imperial family again.' How poignant those words are!" At this point, Emperor Guangxu became increasingly sorrowful and choked with sobs. Consort Jin tried her best to comfort him, but how could she dispel the Emperor's grief? The more Emperor Guangxu spoke, the angrier he became, and tears streamed down his face. At this moment, Consort Jin was also moved by sorrow, and the two of them wept together like prisoners in Chu. Emperor Guangxu and Consort Jin wandered around aimlessly, their minds preoccupied, and had no real desire for leisure. They ordered a eunuch to row a small boat over, boarded, and returned to Yingtai. Feeling utterly bored, Emperor Guangxu ordered palace maids to bring wine. Consort Jin stood by his side, pouring wine cup by cup, which they sipped slowly.
After a while, suddenly five or six small boats appeared on the opposite bank of the river, and seven or eight eunuchs, each carrying an iron shovel, rowed across. Emperor Guangxu, observing this, asked Consort Jin, "I wonder what kind of ghost play they're up to now." Consort Jin, upon hearing this, went to the window and asked a eunuch. One eunuch replied, "They've been ordered by the Empress Dowager to break the ice." Consort Jin turned and told the Emperor. Emperor Guangxu coldly laughed, "The Empress Dowager ordered them to break the ice because we've walked a few steps on it. She's afraid we won't have a boat to cross, so she's having to walk across the ice. We think there's no banquet in the world we wouldn't dare to attend; why be so strict?" As he spoke, Emperor Guangxu kept drinking his wine, then pointed to the Yixiang Palace and said, "This must have been instigated by that old woman to the Empress Dowager, which is why she issued the order to break the ice. I can see their actions as if I witnessed them myself."
Having said that, he drank another full cup and smiled at Consort Jin, saying, "If we could regain power, we would have to teach these treacherous foxes a lesson." Seeing that the Emperor was about to speak recklessly again, Consort Jin quickly waved her hand, saying, "Walls have ears; don't implicate me again." Emperor Guangxu shouted, "What's there to be afraid of! Who dares to insult you? Your sister has already been brutally murdered by them. If they try to assassinate you again, we'll die with you. Let's see what they can do then! Do they really intend to kill us?"
At this moment, Emperor Guangxu's emotions were rising, and he began to speak loudly and eloquently. Consort Jin, already easily frightened, feared that the Emperor's careless words might cause trouble, so she stayed by his side, worried.
Emperor Guangxu had originally intended to drown his sorrows in wine, but the more he drank, the more his pent-up anger rose from his heart. As he was drinking and talking to himself, the Empress returned from the Empress Dowager's quarters, and the Empress was attending to the Emperor in the Hanyuan Palace. Emperor Guangxu rarely spoke to the Empress. When she visited, she would sit silently for a while and then leave. Today, however, Emperor Guangxu was intoxicated. Upon seeing the Empress, he felt a surge of anger, but restrained himself from expressing it openly due to etiquette, though he had long harbored a desire to provoke her. He deliberately asked her numerous questions, and the Empress, unable to refuse, could only offer perfunctory answers. After asking many questions without finding anything wrong with the Empress, Emperor Guangxu turned and ordered Consort Jin to pour him a cup of wine, inviting the Empress to drink with him. The Empress reluctantly drank it. Emperor Guangxu then ordered another cup poured, but the Empress, who did not drink alcohol, naturally declined. Emperor Guangxu, emboldened by the wine, said angrily, "You have a good capacity for alcohol, how can you say you can't drink? Didn't you drink over a hundred cups at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet that year?" Seeing the Emperor's furious expression, Consort Jin knew things were going badly and quickly said, "Back then, the imperial wine was drunk by palace maids!" Guangxu sneered, "I saw it with my own eyes, what are you defending her for?" Saying this, he picked up the wine cup and forced the Empress to drink it. However, the Empress's capacity for alcohol was indeed very limited; after one cup, she already felt dizzy and unsteady. Seeing the Emperor forcing her to drink, she impulsively pushed the wine cup away, and with a loud crash, the jade cup shattered into seven or eight pieces on the ground.
Emperor Guangxu, caught off guard by the Empress's sudden push, was startled when the wine cup fell to the ground. He angrily exclaimed, "We kindly invited you to drink, why did you knock the cup down? Since you won't drink, we'll make you drink a few cups!" He then ordered Consort Jin to refill the cup. Consort Jin, caught in a dilemma, suddenly saw the Empress stand up and stagger towards the door. Emperor Guangxu suspected she was going to tell the Empress Dowager and would only let her leave after humiliating her. So, seeing the Empress leave, he followed, trying to stop her from leaving. Unexpectedly, drunk and weak-legged, he nearly fell. As Consort Jin rushed to help him, Emperor Guangxu's right hand grabbed the Empress's sleeve, and he pulled it inside, nearly causing the Empress to fall as well. It turned out that the Empress, unable to hold her liquor, suddenly felt dizzy and weak. She rose to return to the Yixiang Palace, but Emperor Guangxu, misunderstanding her intentions, tried to stop her. This tug-of-war caused the Empress to stumble and fall, and something suddenly fell from her head. Consort Jin, quick-witted, tried to catch it, but it was too late; it fell to the ground with a thud. The Empress turned and saw it, exclaiming in surprise, "How could this imperial treasure be broken?" Emperor Guangxu, seeing Consort Jin pick up the fallen object and examine it closely, was also quite astonished. To find out what the treasure was, please read the next chapter.

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[Romantic Anecdotes of the Qing Dynasty Court] [93] [Author: Xu Xiaotian]

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