The winter in Beijing is leisurely, the concept of winter leisure in China for thousands of years has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, the cold winter can not toss without tossing, can go to bed early and get up late will not be idle and have nothing to do, after all, two meals a day is better than three meals to save food.

And the warm quilt not only represents comfort, but also represents the ability to burn a few less coals at home and use a few copper coins at home.

The leisurely life of the citizens does not belong to the officials, because the officials of Sijiu City are not going to be tortured by the Great Pilgrimage, especially in winter, which is really painful.

According to the Qing law, the emperor was the fifth watch, that is, the Mao time, which is equivalent to 05:00 to 07:00 Beijing time. Ministers usually wait outside the noon gate when they are in Yin, that is, from 03:00 to 05:00 Beijing time.

In the cold winter, three o'clock to go to the noon gate to wait, this is really a kind of torture for the courtiers, the Tongzhi years are still good, because the emperor is not pro-government, the court meeting is generally only held once in ten days and a half months, this is when the emperor of the three dynasties of Kang Yongqian is energetic, the courtiers are miserable every day.

Today is the same, the door has not yet opened at five o'clock in the morning, but the officials who are preparing to go to the court have already dressed up and are ready, after all, this is the highest national court meeting, and the local governors have already arrived. Coupled with the topic of this court meeting, all the officials frowned, and no one dared to speak out.

"Oh, isn't this the same year as Wang? Our two brothers haven't been together for a while, and I really miss it since I was in the field......

Liu Tonghao...... Dude has been looking good lately, get together another day, okay, then wait for the man's post the day after tomorrow......"

The Beijing officials and the foreign officials outside the noon gate took advantage of the opportunity to meet each other during the year, but no one dared to talk about this Beijing rebellion, because everyone saw that half of the soldiers guarding the noon gate were actually half of the Praetorian Guards and half of the new army.

Looking at the new army with shiny bayonets, all the foreign officers had a chill on their necks, "Brothers, tell me, why is this the right to protect the inside being occupied by Xiao Letian?"

The foreign officials don't know why, but the Beijing officials are very clear that now the Forbidden City has been divided into two defense systems with the Qianqing Gate as the dividing line, and behind the Qianqing Gate is the emperor's harem, and the security of the female dependents here is still the responsibility of the Imperial Forest Army.

However, near the three major halls south of the Qianqing Gate, it has become the security area of the new army, and today it is the Great Court that arranged half of the Imperial Forest Army to support the scene under Cixi's arguments, otherwise people would still think that the Qing Dynasty had changed the country.

Xiao Letian was not waiting outside the noon gate at this time, he was calmly watching the 'well-dressed beasts' under the city from the noon gate tower, these people were controlling the Qing Dynasty.

"If you drop a grenade, the Qing Dynasty will probably be finished immediately...... Hehe, I wondered, what did the emperors of the past think? Let the courtiers wait at three or four o'clock in the morning, wait until six or seven o'clock to open the noon gate, and wait until the court meeting is finished at eight or nine o'clock, if there are more topics, it will take half a day......"

"What do you think about this brain? People are not iron-clad, do you still have the energy to sit in the government and do errands for so long a day? You can't go to make up for sleep after lunch? Is the day going to be passed soon?"

It was Ermao who was standing beside Xiao Letian and waiting, and this godson said with a smile, "This is not the Kang Yongqian Dynasty, the emperor is actually very lazy, and the hundred officials can still stand it when the court meets every ten days...... What's more, today is still a big court meeting held by Beijing officials and foreign officials under the foundation of the year, and it doesn't hurt to be tired......"

Just when the two of them were chatting against the city tower, there was a sudden commotion at the noon gate, it turned out that the sedan chair of the two brothers of the Zeng family had been carried over, and as soon as the two handsomes appeared, the protégés of the Manchu Dynasty rushed up to beat thousands of heads, buckle heads. My lord and Master shouted all over the place.

Not only did the Zeng brothers come, but Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang also followed, and the local governors outside the noon gate were suddenly shocked, and the eyes of the Manchus and Qingliu who were shocked as soon as the Han warlords appeared.

Prince Gong, Prince Alcohol, and Prince Qing stood closest to the noon gate, watching this group of Han people show off their martial arts and might, but thinking that there were even more hateful Han people above their heads, their hatred for the Zeng brothers couldn't help but fade a little.

Zeng Guofan had already seen the princes in front of the team, and it was impossible to pay tribute, Zeng Dashuai hurriedly walked a few steps quickly, clasped his fists with both hands, and saluted, "Oh, all the princes are above, and the ministers Zeng Guofan has asked the princes to say goodbye!"

Good guys, no matter how much they put on a score, they don't dare to offend this big warlord, a little warlord Xiao Lotian tossed the court like this, and he still dared to offend Zeng Guofan?

"No, the handsome man has worked hard and made great achievements, and he is the Dinghai Divine Needle of our Qing Dynasty, how can we let the handsome salute? It should be Xiao Wang who invites the handsome to eat and drink...... I don't know how many soldiers the marshal brought with him to Beijing this time?"

The corners of Zeng Guofan's eyes twitched, and he heard the hook in his words at that time, this is beating himself, it seems that the threat of his 500,000 Hunan army is still above Xiao Letian.

"The dynasty is an eventful season, the old minister has killed too many evils in recent years, and there are too many enemies! If you don't bring a few soldiers, you don't dare to go far, and the three thousand tigers are stationed outside the city...... But don't worry, they will never dare to enter the city unless they are ordered, and I won't be able to cut off nine heads if there is a mess, hahaha......"

Prince Qing Yixuan was impatient, so he slapped his thigh at that time, "Oh, I'm so handsome, why did you bring such a little? Why don't you bring a hundred and eighty thousand, we are all counting on you......"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly came over and whispered: "Is the big marshal hiding ambush soldiers? It must be, if you want me to say that it is not possible to deal with Xiao Letian without tens of thousands of elites......

Prince Gong went up and gave Yiqiao a moment on his instep, then glared at him fiercely, turned his head and said with a smile: "Dashuai has just returned to Beijing, he should have a good rest and rest, and it is not too late to talk about these miscellaneous matters after the court meeting...... Oh, the ministers of Dongjiaomin Lane are here, let's go and greet ......"

The smell of gunpowder that had just accumulated dissipated again, but everyone knew that this was just a small warm-up for the Korean war.

French Minister Goldmi, Counsellor Borone. British Minister Sir Ergon, Counsellor Sir Wittomar. U.S. Minister John Warren. Russian Minister Ulangoli...... More than a dozen carriages appeared outside the noon gate, and these Chinese experts jumped out of the carriage and immediately chatted with the officials, as if they were in their own country.

Of course, their key target was Zeng Guofan, as the most powerful warlord in China, they even believed that the Zeng family could split the Qing Dynasty, and such an important figure was of great concern to all European countries.

"Oh, Zeng Dashuai!Hello, it's been a long time......" Hua Ruohan was the first to step forward and shake hands with Zeng Guofan, "I don't know if Dashuai has ever been to see the new landscape of Jingshi, Longxugou? That commercial street is very beautiful, and the food in the restaurant is also very delicious, you must try it when you have time......

Immediately afterwards, the British Minister Ai Liguo also agreed, "That's right, there is a roast duck restaurant called Quanjude where to open a new store, the decoration style is very high-end, if Dashuai has Yaxing, I am willing to invite Dashuai to taste ......"

"Hahaha, how can you work with the ministers to break the bank, I will be the east, I will be the east, and I will send the invitation to the embassy when I turn around......"

Obedient to listen to the sound, the old fritters present are clear about the subtext of the Americans and the British, this is to show that they want to support Xiao Letian, Longxugou is the most important political achievement project of Prime Minister Xiao Cheng, praising Longxugou is to secretly remind Zeng Guofan that we support Xiao Letian.

The Russians and the French snorted in unison as they watched a group of foxes act, but they looked back at each other and turned their heads to look away, after all, the Russians and the French have always had a grudge.

Before the noon gate was opened, the secret battle of words and swords had already begun, and those officials who knew the depth of the day were desperately wiping their sweat one by one, saying in their hearts that today's court meeting was probably going to be a big event.

"The hour is ...... The door opens at noon...... The adults are in order...... "In the melodious roar of the eunuchs, there was a creaking sound on both sides of the noon gate, and the great court meeting had finally arrived.

Hundreds of civil and military officials lined up in two long lines according to their grades, and silently walked into the noon gate, crossed the Jinshui River, and the Taihe Gate and came to the Taihedian Square.

There were little eunuchs with lanterns and bowed their heads to follow the officials of the two teams, and Xiao Letian stood at the head of the city and looked down like two twisted centipedes.

Ermao smiled and said, "Godfather is a Ryukyu minister, and he should also kowtow, but the Empress Dowager said that you have a waist injury, so you don't need to kowtow, and you can just watch the ceremony with the Western ambassadors......"

Xiao Letian knew that this was Ci'an selling to himself, anyway, everyone in the Manchu royal family knew that he Xiao Lotian didn't keep braids or kowtow, no matter who scolded the street, he just didn't listen.

Under the threat of a bright bayonet, a fool would be entangled in these trivial matters. Xiao Letian rubbed Ermao's head, and said with a smile, "Sooner or later, I will let you lose this braid, a good man has to keep braids......?"

Ermao said extremely lonely, "My son can't be a man in this life......"

"Who said that the eunuch is not a man? The eunuch of the Three Treasures is worse than the minister...... Ermao, you remember for me, when you took the fleet to patrol the world, every son I raised was a good man who stood up to the sky!"

"Let's go, let's go down and see the excitement, this damn silent day, I have to poke a hole to breathe......" After speaking, he took Ermao and walked down the city.

At this time, the hundred officials had already stood along the grade stone, and the net whip was rounded by the strong eunuch and pulled to the ground, which indicated that the emperor was about to enter the Taihe Palace, and all the hundred officials were ready to kneel.

"Your Majesty...... Dowager...... Driving to ...... Kneel...... A prostration...... Bow again ......"

The entire Taihe Hall Square was solemn, hundreds of officials kowtowed neatly, and the emperor's umbrella cover on the top of the three-story hall had already exposed his head, and the little emperor had entered the Taihe Palace.

There are Qiluo umbrella covers everywhere, armor flashes everywhere, and with the mighty new army and feminine eunuchs, the whole sense of ceremony rises at once.

The feudal dynasty played etiquette, that is, to use this aura to prove that its imperial authority was strict, and the great dynasty would be an important ritual second only to the sacrifice of heaven and earth.

Hua Ruohan, who was hiding next to Zhaode Gate to watch the ceremony, said with emotion: "China, this 5,000-year-old civilization, although it has lagged behind the world, but these invisible cultures they left behind are still shocking!"