The next day, Wang Sheng summoned the principal personnel of the Jinan government for a meeting to discuss and determine who would leave Jinan for Qingdao with him, and also to arrange his work arrangements after leaving Jinan. On the one hand, because Wang Sheng returned to Qingdao this time, he was willing to report on the work of Jinan, and there were many things that needed to be negotiated with the East China government, such as how to distribute the taxes collected by the local government, and if the money and materials collected in Jinan were distributed, etc., it was possible that they would also be inquired by the Executive Yuan and the Senate, so naturally they also needed to bring a few helpers, whether it was to negotiate or deal with it, there were people to discuss.

On the other hand, Wang Sheng also hopes that in this five-year plan, he will strive for more projects for Jinan, because having projects means that there are policy tilts, financial support, and technical support, which are naturally beneficial to Jinan's construction and development. Of course, almost all the people who returned to Qingdao brought their own secretaries, and the purpose was the same as Wang Sheng, to go back to Deng to get married.

In addition, in addition to the staff of the Jinan government, the Land Reform Commission, the garrison troops, and the medical personnel also have personnel who want to return to Qingdao, so it is a huge representative team, numbering more than 60 people, and the first regiment stationed in Jinan also sent Luo Yue to lead a battalion to protect the delegation back to Qingdao.

The day before the delegation's departure, a group of people left Jinan and headed north into Zhili Province. This group of people is the representative of the squire of Jinan, by Xu Chang, Zhao Pinghe, Mingxiu three, accompanied by more than 20 servants, bodyguards, mainly because the three people on this trip brought a total of 180,000 taels of silver, although the current silver is only 30,000 taels, the rest are silver bills or bank deposit bills, but this is not a small amount.

Of course, their group was ready to go to Zhengding Mansion to sue the imperial court, because the squires of Jinan had already received the news that the imperial convoy returning to Beijing had already left Henan Province and entered the territory of the Daimyo Mansion of Zhili Province, and was about to arrive at Zhengding Mansion, and the squires of Jinan also pinned their hopes for driving out overseas Chinese on their group.

Xu Chang has friends in Zhengding Mansion, so after arriving in Zhengding Mansion, he is in charge of the foothold of this line; Zhao Pinghe's task is to dredge the door of Zhao Shuqiao, Minister of Military Aircraft; and Mingxiu is a banner man, and there is also the title of hereditary auxiliary general, his goal is Ronglu, with this double insurance, the three of them also feel that this time the success is very certain.

Of course, the departure of their group is actually all under the control of the Jinan government, but the Jinan government does not want to ignore them, because when they arrive at Zhengding Mansion, they will definitely hit nails, so they will dismantle it.

A group of people left Jinan, came to Zhengding Mansion, although there is a month before the New Year, but at this time Zhengding Mansion is full of festive atmosphere, the people on the street, the shops are all lit up, draped in red and hung red, even the trees are wrapped with red cloth, hung with red ornaments. On the one hand, this is to celebrate the arrival of the New Year, and at the same time, it is also to welcome the Queen Mother and the Emperor to Zhengding Mansion.

This is not just to please Cixi, but in case that little bit is not done well, it will be a matter of losing your head. Although the eunuchs suffered a big loss from the overseas Chinese, it did not affect them to ask for bribes everywhere they went, and they also became more powerful, as if they wanted to get back the face they had lost in the overseas Chinese.

After leaving Xi'an, the imperial court's convoy made the first stop in Lintong County, and arrived in Lintong County in advance to meet the eunuchs, and asked Xia Liangcai, the magistrate, for a meeting gift of 1,200 taels of silver. As a result, I don't know if this Xia Zhixian is wrong, so he just won't give this money. The eunuchs didn't do it, they smashed all the items prepared by Xia Zhixian to welcome the imperial court, and beat Xia Zhixian, and Xia Zhixian, who was beaten, didn't dare to go back to the county office, so he had to hide in the countryside. As a result, a convoy of people from the imperial court entered Lintong County, not only did they not see the figure of Xia Liangcai in the county, but even the fireworks and food in the whole city were completely gone. The eunuchs told Cixi that Xia Zhixian deliberately neglected the imperial court, not only was he not prepared to meet the imperial court at all, but even people ran away.

Knowing that Cixi was not angry, but took out two hundred taels of silver herself, and asked people to go to the house to get some practical things, and later caught Xia Liangcai, Cixi did not punish him, but forgave him, and the people accompanying him said that this was after the queen mother went through more tribulations, and she was calm.

However, after this happened, the local officials along the way still dared to slacken, and after the convoy arrived in Luoyang, the angry eunuchs sent a threat to the Luoyang magistrate, saying that the charcoal prepared for the queen mother did not meet the size of the palace, and the magistrate sent 2,000 taels of silver, so it was fine.

When the convoy of the Qing court arrived at Zhengzhou Mansion, Song Qingji, who was stationed at Shanhaiguan, led his troops here to wait for the guard, and Li Yuanzhen, the prefect of Zhengzhou, in order to welcome the imperial court, requisitioned migrant workers early and repaired the avenue into a stacked road three zhang wide and one foot high, which was covered with clean yellow sand. On both sides of the avenue set up a long canopy, and specially selected a lot of people who looked reasonable, waiting for the emperor in the color shed, and also ordered the whole city of Zhengzhou to "chicken on the basket, dog on the rope", so as not to be frightened.

When the convoy entered Zhengzhou City, dozens of miles of avenues were full of people kneeling and villagers waiting for the imperial court. Cixi was also very happy to see this, and ordered all the sedan curtains to be opened, but the soldiers guarding had already strictly forbidden the people and villagers to raise their heads in advance, so the people and villagers could only see the feet, hooves and wheels of the people carrying the sedan chairs, and only the famous Xiucai and Lisheng had the right to step forward and kneel and kowtow. And Cixi was happy for a while, so the guards threw "gold leaves" to the people, which were actually very thin pieces of silver, so the people didn't care about etiquette, and stood up and snatched them, the guards scolded a few words, but Cixi smiled and said: "Come on, don't scare them." ”

Cixi and his entourage lived in Zhengzhou for five days, and Li Yuanzhen, the prefect of Zhengzhou, almost always waited without closing his eyes, for fear that he would not do a good job and make Cixi unhappy. And he passed out.

The preparations for Zhengding Mansion are not under Zhengzhou Mansion, and the color shed outside the city has been set up for dozens of miles, and it was ordered early that when the convoy of the imperial court arrives, the people of the whole city must go out of the city to greet them, and as a result, when Xu Chang, Zhao Pinghe, Mingxiu and other people came to Zhengding Mansion, they were also requisitioned to meet the imperial court outside the city.

At this time, it was the time of January, the weather was cold and frozen, and the court was greeted outside the city, which was divided into two kinds, one was to wait in the open air, blown by the cold wind, and the other was to wait in the color shed, not only to rest, but also to light a stove to keep warm, and after the court convoy came, you could also go to the side of the road to meet the kowtow, but you had to spend silver to buy a seat in the color shed. Of course, for Xu Chang, Zhao Pinghe, Mingxiu and others, silver is not a problem, and even if they want to sue the emperor, of course, they must also show respect to the court, so one person bought a position, not to mention, but also prepared a beautiful jade Buddha statue, planning to dedicate it to the queen mother when she greeted the frame, of course, it is one thing for the queen mother to accept it or not, anyway, his mind is fulfilled.

That knew that on the next day, Zhengding Mansion received an edict from the imperial court, saying: Gengzi country changes, the two palaces tour west, at this moment is the situation is difficult, the country is difficult, everything should be simple, and the officials along the way are too extravagant and luxurious, disturbing the people too much, the queen mother, the emperor is very displeased, the sacred heart is uneasy, so the Zhengding Mansion is not extravagant, the officials can go out of the city to greet it, and the villagers must not be alarmed, otherwise they will not be forgiven.

After receiving this edict, the officials of Zhengding Mansion were a little at a loss, and they did not understand that the queen mother was singing, and some people even wondered if this was the emperor's private edict? Anyway, it was not a secret that the emperor and queen were not in harmony, but after giving the eunuch 2,000 taels of silver to the eunuch who passed the edict, the eunuch told them to do what the edict said, and don't ask more about other things, anyway, the simpler the better, don't make it lively, and then leave and leave.

Although the officials of Zhengding Mansion were still confused, they finally understood what to do, so they hurriedly canceled all the ceremonies, arranged manpower, demolished all the color sheds, and announced that on the day the imperial court entered the city, no one was allowed to go to the street, and one was arrested. Xu Chang, Zhao Pinghe, Mingxiu and others also felt that Mo Ming was wonderful, but they could only stay in their residences.

Originally, Cixi was in a good mood all the way, and when she arrived in Kaifeng, it was just in time for Cixi's birthday. So Kaifeng City was full of lanterns and set up a stage to celebrate Cixi's birthday. Cixi lived in Kaifeng City for 10 days, and the officials all vied with each other to pay respects, which made her luggage much more. Departing from Kaifeng, Cixi crossed the Yellow River in a dragon boat, but at this moment, what happened made Cixi's good mood completely disappear.

It turned out that a few days ago, the traveler published another editorial in the newspaper, strongly criticizing the imperial court for being extravagant and extravagant on the way back to Beijing, and the eunuchs asked for bribes along the way, disturbing the place, and at the same time turning over the matter of the traveler being asked for bribes by eunuchs in Xi'an. Originally, this matter had been hyped for a few months, and it had gradually subsided by this time, but after being turned over by this article, it actually became popular again. As a result, after the editorial was published in the Shanghai Newspaper, it immediately attracted widespread attention, and many newspapers followed suit with more hype, of course, criticizing the actions of the Qing court. The contents of this editorial were transmitted to all parts of the country through telegrams, and somehow it reached the hands of Cixi.

So Cixi immediately came to Prince Qing, Rong Lu and others to ask, only to know that the traverser had poked this matter out a few months ago, and now with this editorial, it has already caused a stir in the southeastern provinces, and everyone knows it, of course, most of the voices are criticizing the imperial court. However, Prince Qing and Rong Lu also strongly advised Cixi that at this time, the return of the imperial court should be the priority, and no more complications should be made, and the affairs of overseas Chinese should not be ignored.

In fact, Cixi doesn't care too much about the direction of public opinion, but they are all a few common people, what is there to be afraid of, but the overseas Chinese are obviously cutting the face of the imperial court, but Cixi also knows that she has no way to take the overseas Chinese now, so she can only watch them talk about the rights and wrongs of the court like this, so although Cixi also accepted the persuasion of Prince Qing and Rong Lu and ignored the overseas Chinese, the anger in her heart can be imagined. He had no choice but to take out his anger at the eunuchs, gathered the eunuchs and reprimanded them severely, and killed two people on the spot, ordering them not to ask for bribes from local officials in the future.