Relevant chapters of "Toward Harmony"

When talking about the birthday of the Empress Dowager Cixi, one has to wonder about Cixi's luck.

The emperor died of illness on his 40th birthday and Japan invaded Taiwan. In order to calm things down, after the failure of the Japanese invasion, he accompanied him with 500,000 taels of silver and lost sulfur balls.

On Cixi’s fiftieth birthday, French invaders attacked the Mawei naval port and the entire Fujian Navy was wiped out. Later, they finally won without any compensation, but Vietnam was lost, and Yunnan and Guangxi became France. sphere of influence. In order to satisfy the foreign masters, the brave Black Flag Army was disbanded.

On Cixi’s 60th birthday, Japan made a comeback, the Beiyang Fleet was completely annihilated, and an indemnity of 200 million was required. North Korea was lost, Penghu was lost, and Taiwan was lost. The Northeast spent 30 million taels of silver to redeem it, and the elite Huai army also dispersed like birds and beasts.

Seriously

Today we will go to Nanyuan, tomorrow we will go to Beihai, and when will we return to ancient Chang'an?

Sigh that all the ointment and blood have dried up at dawn, only one person sings to celebrate.

Ryukyu was cut off at fifty, Taiwan was cut off at sixty, and now the three eastern provinces are cut off.

Bangqi in Tongchi County is getting more and more wrinkled, and I wish Jiang Wu a long life every time.

On Cixi’s seventieth birthday, the Russo-Japanese War broke out and completely occupied the Northeast.

Was the Empress Dowager Cixi so unlucky that she encountered these troubles?

Let us lift the fog of history and see the truth.

This year is the 60th birthday of the Empress Dowager Cixi, and she plans to have a good time.

In the capital, everything from the Forbidden City and Xiyuan Sanhai to the Summer Palace and Wanshou Temple has been renovated. Money is flowing like flowing water. On both sides of the road that the Empress Dowager Cixi passes from the Summer Palace Palace Gate to the Xihua Gate of the Forbidden City, there are 60 sections of scenic spots, including dragon sheds, dragon towers, sutra sheds, stages, archways, pavilions, etc. ***It requires 2.4 million taels of silver.

There were some people who just didn’t know what was going on and started making noises. Cixi didn’t want to get angry in the Golden Palace, so she had to say perfunctorily

“I’m sure about your explanation. Those scripture sheds For ordinary projects such as the sutra altar, archway, and hall, if they are not started, do not start any more. Those who have already started should stop first, put away the lamps and furnishings, and wait for the blessings later."

Turn around. Looking at Yan Jingming, the Minister of the Ministry of Finance, who was kneeling, he said, "That's all right."

Yan Jingming, however, was still kneeling on the ground, neither humble nor arrogant, saying, "I am burdened like an ox, and I really can't get up."

< p> Cixi was stunned, unable to hold back the fire in her heart, and Chen Sheng asked:

"What do you mean?"

Yan Jingming: "Please invite the Queen Mother Stopping the Summer Palace project, I can relax!"

Seeing Cixi's unhappy expression, and a storm approaching in an instant, Weng Tonghe on the side stepped forward to defend Yan Jingming and said:

"The same goes for Mr. Yan. For the sake of the country and the country..."

It was Weng Tonghe's words that forced the Empress Dowager Cixi to a point of no return. There was no room for turning around. Who can admit that he does not care about the country and the country? Selling oneself to the country.

"Nonsense! What he did for the country, how could I destroy the country and the country?"?

Weng Tonghe immediately fell to his knees: "I am guilty, please forgive me, Queen Mother." Sin."

Cixi was furious, and her sharp voice echoed in the golden palace:

"Let's just talk about this longevity celebration. People who know it say I deserve to enjoy it.

People who don’t know call me extravagant! Who knows?

I am a sixty-year-old lady from an ordinary family. If the birthday is celebrated in a lively manner,

the neighbors will say that the old lady is lucky and has face.

This family is a prominent member of the people in that area. So, even more so for the country.

If even my birthday is miserable, not only my face, but also the court's face will have no place to reflect on me. China's rivers are clear and its people are safe?

In this way, not only foreigners look down on it, but also the people.

If foreigners look down on you, they will bully you. If the common people look down on you, they will not obey you.

This will cause trouble and the foundation of the ancestors will be destroyed.,,

I have left my words here today. Whoever made my birthday uncomfortable,

I will also make him uncomfortable for the rest of his life. "

The power of the sky was so majestic that everyone knelt on the ground in shock, trembling and afraid to say anything.

Weng Tonghe: "The Queen Mother is wise, I will obey your loving instructions!"?

Seeing that Yan Jingming remained silent, Cixi lowered her voice and asked him:

"Why don't you speak?"?

Yan Jingming: "Isn't this the case?" I dare to obey the imperial edict, but I am old and infirm, so please resign. "

After speaking, Yan Jingming took off his official hat and placed it gently on the ground. Under the official hat, there was a head of hair as white as snow,?

Cixi: " So, you want to stop the garden?"?

Yan Jingming: "To the Queen Mother, it's not that Yan Jingming wants to stop, it's because there is no money in the treasury. Kunming Lake and Wanshou Mountain have used a total of 27 million silver. Two, and our Qing Dynasty only has a surplus of four million taels every year. The treasury is empty and has to stop!"?

Cixi gritted her teeth and said: "Okay, you are doing well! I don't believe that Zhang Butcher is dead. Get out of here if you eat a pig with hairy hair!"?

Yan Jingming stood up, his face turned from red to pale in an instant, and said in a trembling voice:

"I am guilty, the Queen Mother can kill me. When you are deposed and asked to be punished, you must not say "get out", it will insult the imperial system!"?

Cixi was furious, "I just said, get out! Get out! Get out!"?

The huge gold Cixi's voice echoed in the hall: "Get out... get out... get out." "Two eunuchs came over and wanted to pull Yan Jingming out of the palace.

Yan Jingming, a veteran of three dynasties, had never suffered such humiliation. He felt his heart beating like a drum and all the blood in his body surged up.

"Holy Lord, this servant has gone to see you. ”

After bumping into a pillar, everyone in the Golden Palace was stunned. In the two hundred years since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, no minister had ever died to remonstrate, but today it happened.

Golden Palace Everyone was silent. In the morning, several eunuchs came to inspect Yan Jingming. After some cleaning, the Jinluan Palace was restored to its original state, but there was still a trace of blood in the air.

Empress Dowager Cixi was unhappy and said to Weng Tonghe

"Let Master Weng serve as Yan Jingming's envoy! "?

Weng Tonghe was overjoyed. He had always been determined to win the title of Minister of Household Affairs, but Yan Jingming had been in power for three dynasties and was a powerful and honest official. He had never been able to win. This time, he actually succeeded in building a garden. There was still a look of sincerity and fear on her face

"What if I don't manage finances as well as Yan Jingming..."?

Cixi was a little impatient: "Master Weng is mature and experienced, so he must be able to do it. Regarding fundraising, please discuss it with Prince Chun. Furthermore, don’t always think about cutting costs. Save a little here and pick a little there; you have to open up sources and find new ways to make more money. The Qing Dynasty belongs to you. Do you have to be humble when asking for things from your slaves? That’s for them. What a blessing. I heard that Shanxi banks have more money in the country than the royal treasury. How can this be possible and must be rectified. What do you think, Emperor?"?

Guangxu: "But it depends on my father's holy decree. "?

Cixi: "That's it, just kneel down." "?

Guangxu, Weng Tonghe responded: "Yes. "?

Just as the two were about to leave, Cixi said again: "Remember, you can't interfere with the garden repairs under any circumstances!"?

The three of them knelt down again, "Yes." ?

Weng Tonghe left the Jinluan Palace and hurried to the Ministry of Revenue. After several searches, he finally found Li Hongzhang's information.

"The two major military ports of Lushun and Weihaiwei have been completed. , are mutual horns, making the Bohai Portal a solid and unshakable force. It's just that the Beiyang Navy has not added a single ship in six years since its establishment. It can only train more than 20 existing ships diligently, and it is difficult to continue after careful consideration.

Moreover, some of these more than 20 warships need new cannons, and some machines are too worn out, which affects their speed...: a total of 610,000 taels"

The following approval was "Temporarily released for Shanghai. Customs clearance of 610,000 taels"

Weng Tonghe picked up his pen, crossed out the approval, and wrote below

"Suspended until the Queen Mother's birthday. ”