"Tan Junji, you are out of sight. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 infoI know you look up to me, so you came to the cheap house so late to talk to me, and I was very touched by that. Master Tan, if you have something to say, just say it! ”

Although both of them seemed very relaxed, and the conversation was replaced by the word chat, both of them understood in their hearts that the word chatting was meaningful.

"Since Lord Yuan doesn't dislike it, the younger brother might as well speak out. Lord Yuan, do you know about the September military parade? ”

"You know, do you think there's going to be any mess in the parade?"

"Yes!" Tan Sitong said categorically, "I think Lafayette wants to take this opportunity to depose the emperor and extinguish the reform movement." ”

"Oh, is it that serious?"

"Yes, junior brother, I came to your house tonight to ask for help from you, and I hope Lord Yuan can lend a helping hand."

"As long as I can do it, I am duty-bound."

Tan Sitong nodded, and then said to Yuan Shikai: "Is the emperor good to you?" ”

"Good! I can't repay the emperor's kindness to me in this life and this life. After speaking, he knelt down in the direction of the imperial city and kowtowed twice.

This performance moved Tan Sitong speechlessly.

He hurriedly helped Yuan Shikai up and said:

"I knew that Lord Yuan was a rare loyal and benevolent person! Lord Yuan, now is the time for you to show your loyalty," Tan Sitong patted Yuan Shikai on the shoulder and said, "At this critical moment, Lord Yuan, only you can save the emperor from the tiger's mouth." ”

"Master Tan, just say it! Whatever you're going to let me do, I'll do my best!" "How blunt! And this is exactly the character that Tan Sitong admires, so he will attach it to Yuan Shikai's ear and say:

"The emperor hopes that you will kill Rong Lu after returning to Tianjin, and then quickly lead troops to the Summer Palace to force the Queen Mother to hand over power, so that the law can be maintained. After the deed was completed, the emperor promised you to succeed Rong Lu as the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang. ”

"Killing Ronglu is like killing a dog's ear in my eyes! Lord Tan rest assured, as long as I can serve the emperor, I don't care if I can be promoted and make a fortune, as long as I can continue to change the law, it will be as I wish, and it will not be in vain for the emperor to trust me. "An impassioned look.

Yuan Shikai's expression was very satisfying to Tan Sitong. But this is his first contact with Yuan Shikai, and he doesn't know Yuan Shikai yet.

As the saying goes: "You can't have the heart to harm others, and you can't have the heart to prevent people." "People's hearts are separated from their bellies, if Yuan Shikai goes to tell the Empress Dowager Cixi the secret, won't we be all finished?

Therefore, Tan Sitong tentatively said to Yuan Shikai: "Lord Yuan, if you don't do it, you can go to Lafayette to tell the truth, and you can also get high-ranking officials, glory and wealth." ”

After hearing this, Yuan Shikai sank his face, glared and said, "You simply underestimate me Yuan!" How can I, Yuan, be a person who does not believe in my words! After saying that, he picked up the needle on the table and punctured his index finger, dripping blood into the wine bowl on the table.

Tan Si saw the same, and did not show weakness, and also pierced his fingers to drip blood into the wine bowl, and the two of them took the wine bowl and drank it all.

"Lord Tan, do you believe me Yuan now?"

Tan Sitong shook Yuan Shikai's hand tightly and said excitedly: "The emperor will hand it over to you!" ”

After Tan Sitong came out of Yuan Shikai's place, he rushed straight to the Yangxin Palace where Guangxu lived, and reported the situation to Emperor Guangxu, who was anxiously waiting for a response there.

After Yuan Shikai sent Tan Si away, he sat alone in the house and thought about it all night.

He thought of the seductive Beiyang Minister and the Governor of Zhili, but he had to think of his own strength:

There are more than 10,000 people in his new army, but in the hands of Rong Lu, he has tens of thousands of troops of Nie Shicheng and Dong Fuxiang, and there are more than 10,000 people of Song Qingbu stationed in Shanhaiguan.

In addition, Dong Fuxiang's army was stationed in Changxindian, which was more than 40 miles away from Beijing's Zhangwenmen, and Nie Shicheng's army lived in Tianjin, which stifled the key points to the capital, which could not but have scruples for Yuan Shikai, who wanted to lead troops into Beijing.

More importantly, how many ministers in the DPRK and China were not personally promoted by the Empress Dowager Cixi? How many people are sincere about the New Deal? Thinking of this, Yuan Shikai couldn't help but tremble a little.

He kept asking himself: For an emperor who has no real power, for a group of scholars who have empty opinions, is it worth risking his own head, Tan Sitong is right, if I go to the Queen Mother, can't I also get glory and wealth?

Instead of taking the risk to get a high-ranking official, it is better to go to the whistleblower to get a high-ranking official. After several trade-offs, Yuan Shikai decided to choose the latter.

Since Emperor Guangxu issued a secret edict to Yang Rui, he has become more and more aware of the sinister situation. Emperor Guangxu deeply felt this when he met with former Japanese Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito.

At that time, Emperor Guangxu wanted to ask Ito about his experience in changing the law, but he found the eunuch hiding behind the screen who had come to listen to the interview.

Emperor Guangxu knew very well in his heart: it seemed that his doom could not be escaped.

Long before Tan Sitong visited Yuan Shikai, Yuan Shikai had already received a telegram from Rong Lu asking him to go back, so Yuan Shikai decided to return to Tianjin today.

After arriving in Tianjin, Yuan Shikai did not go to his camp at Xiaozhan, but went straight to the Yamen of the Beiyang Minister where Rong Lu was. After arriving at the Yamen, Yuan Shikai handed over his post, and after a while, an errand came out to pass him in.

Yuan Shikai walked into the yamen, as if he felt that this yamen would be his in the near future, and he couldn't help but feel happy in his heart. But how will I tell Rong Lu later? Yuan Shikai has not yet decided yet.

When he arrived at the door of Rong Lu's residence, a small errand had already lifted the curtain for him and waited for him to enter.

Yuan Shikai went in to take a look and saw three people sitting inside: Rong Lu, Xu Yingqi, and Waitabu. Yuan Shikai hurriedly greeted Rong Lu, and by the way, he gave gifts to Xu Yingqi and Waitabu.

"Have you seen the telegram on the third day of the eighth month? Why are you only coming back now? As soon as Rong Lu met, he asked Yuan Shikai with a face, which seemed to contain reproach.

But Yuan Shikai didn't hear this in his ears, Yuan Shikai knew that this was Rong Lu asking him what he was doing in the capital. Is it the answer to the truth? Or is it a lie?

Since Rong Lu can ask this sentence, it seems that he should have heard of my deeds, and if I lie, he will definitely know, so that the favor I received from him will be lost, so it is better to answer the truth!

Thinking of this, Yuan Shikai said: "Back to Dashuai, the emperor met me in the capital, so I didn't rush back until now, looking at Dashuai Mingjian." ”

"Oh, congratulations yet! I have seen the emperor's edict on the first day of the eighth month. Rong Lu said with an imperceptible smile on his face.

Yuan Shikai knew that what Rong Lu was talking about was the edict that praised Yuan Shikai for his diligence and conscientious school training, and instructed Yuan Shikai to specialize in military training affairs, and all matters that should be done can be performed at any time.

Rong Lu mentioned this edict and knew that Rong Lu was a little dissatisfied with him. (To be continued.) )