Hearing this, the Empress Dowager Cixi paid deep attention, a pair of half-closed eyes, suddenly wide open, eyelashes shining at the Empress Dowager Ci'an and asked, "Is there really such a thing?" ”

"It's true. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info Sixth Master said that Zuo Zongtang is loyal and courageous. ”

"Zuo Zongtang is almost seventy years old this year." The Empress Dowager Ci'an had a look of compassion, "On such a hot day, in the northwest where water and grass do not grow, carry the coffin to fight for the old age!" Think about it, alas, really! ”

The Empress Dowager Cixi was silent, leaning quietly on the soft chair, her eyes blinking, as if ignoring Empress Dowager Ci'an in front of her.

This look seemed to have some big problem to be solved, and the Empress Dowager Ci'an asked anxiously, "What are you thinking?" ”

The Empress Dowager Cixi slowly turned her eyes, and there was infinite emotion in her eyes, "The two of them always want to fight with foreigners and have a good victory, so that they can stand up and breathe a sigh of relief." I don't know when I can make this wish? ”

The Empress Dowager Ci'an was silent for a long time, and Fang Shi said: "You have to have someone to fight." ”

"It's not that people don't have it. People are not in harmony! Zuo Zongtang wanted to fight, but Li Hongzhang refused to fight; Li Hongzao wanted to fight, but Shen Guifen refused to fight; The seventh wants to fight, but the sixth refuses to fight. The Empress Dowager Cixi said, "Aren't we both too?" ”

"I don't have an idea." The Empress Dowager Ci'an said, "However, even if there is a war, you have to be a little sure." Even if there are people, even if the people are united, they have to have money, and if Beiyang buys two ironclad ships, they will get two million silver, how can they get it? ”

When it comes to money, the Empress Dowager Cixi has an indescribable confusion, talking about coastal defense, talking about border defense, and tens of millions of silver at every turn, she always obeys the dispatch of military aircraft, and she says that she will give as much as she wants.

However, it is always difficult to talk about it on weekdays, and once there is something, it is always difficult. Where is the money spent?

Zuo Zongtang's expedition to the west, the military salary of six or seven million silver a year, in the end, still ended up with a reward for "carrying the coffin and fighting for his life", and in addition, he couldn't figure out the account.

Is it and is it war? The Empress Dowager Ci'an finally retreated, and she had to ask Empress Dowager Cixi to discuss with the "Sixth Master" and the Minister of Military Aircraft in person.

The first thing is to convict the capital crime of Chonghou, more and more people are talking, Li Hongzhang and Liu Kunyi, the two governors of the north and the south, the leaders of the Xinjiang officials, although they have already suggested that it is appropriate to pardon them, and now even Zeng Jize has implicitly stated that he will pardon the noble crime.

For the minimum expression of sincerity to have peace settlement to Russia. At the same time, according to Li Hongzhang's report, the British minister Wittoma and the new French minister Baohai also demanded that only if the sins of the noble were forgiven, there was no possibility of a peaceful conclusion.

If you don't want to end peacefully, you will naturally not hesitate to fight, but it is really as the Empress Dowager Ci'an said:

Fighting wars requires people and money. Dignitaries can also be carefully searched, and if they ask for money, they must do their best in the provinces. However, Tu Zongying, governor of Henan, and Wu Yuanbing, governor of Jiangsu, both showed that it was really difficult to balance the need for Beijing salaries, as well as for the assistance of salaries, and for raising funds for coastal defense. It can be seen that they are all breathing out of Li Hongzhang's nostrils.

If the imperial court has to go to war, even a rich place like Jiangsu can't pay additional money, so once it breaks up and the backup is not continued, wouldn't it be a quick defeat?

If you are unwilling, you will be difficult to fight. At the request of the Empress Dowager Ci'an, the Empress Dowager Cixi helped the sick to come out, met with the military plane, and thoroughly decided on a peace war plan.

First of all, according to the reports of various parties and the records of the newspapers, she analyzed the movements of Russia, and on the one hand, increased troops to defend the Ili Narin River, and on the other hand, sent warships to patrol the coastal area of Jilin.

A war can still be fought by land, and it is difficult to resist the sea and air defense, so it is always necessary to find a way to bring about a peace at present.

"Haiphong has been prepared for less than a year or two!" The Empress Dowager Cixi asked, "How did you decide on the original proposal?" Say it to yourselves! ”

The proposal for coastal defense was scheduled for April of the first year of Guangxu, with Shen Baozhen, the governor of Liangjiang, and Li Hongzhang, the governor of Zhili, respectively supervising the coastal defense affairs of the South and North Oceans.

The premier's yamen and the household ministry will discuss and decide that the annual "coastal defense special fund" of 4 million silver will be allocated from the foreign tax of Guangdong Customs, 20% of the foreign tax of Jiangsu Customs, and the two provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, which are the most reliable sources of tax.

Prince Gong clarified the original proposal, and then stated the situation of the preparation in the past five or six years:

"Although the special fund for coastal defense has 4 million silver per year, it is not enough. The military expenditure of the Western Expedition was six to seven million yuan per year, which was paid by foreign debts, guaranteed by the foreign taxes of the customs of Guangdong and Jiangsu, and repaid on an annual basis.

The centigold of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces is sometimes transferred to other important purposes, and they are also on the record. Therefore, the special funds allocated for coastal defense to the two oceans are no more than a few hundred thousand silver per place every year, and the purchase of gunboats, the dispatch of students studying abroad, and so on, are all within this special fund, and they are successively spent. ”

Prince Gong paused for a moment and said, "Even if the money is available, it will not take several years to purchase an ironclad warship and be skillful. Beiyang is the gateway to Gyeonggi, which is heavier than Nanyang, with Li Hongzhang presiding over it and making more careful deployments, while Nanyang focuses on manufacturing and training, and defense is more empty.

The ministers did not dare to shirk the blame, but in the past few years, they have concentrated on the operation of the northwest, and it is still difficult to take care of coastal defense. Since the two queen mothers have lowered the curtain, more than ten years have flattened the bandits, twisted the hair, and returned to chaos, the vitality has been greatly damaged, and the national strength has not been filled. ”

"'Grievance for a while' is indispensable, but I'm afraid of 'trying to exalt', four words, and empty words!"

Although the Empress Dowager Cixi's voice was calm, the reproach in her tone was very strict, and Prince Gong felt very cramped, so he could only bow his head and hang his hands, expressing his fear.

"Yes!" Prince Gong already understood the meaning of the Empress Dowager Cixi, and knew that it would take a lot of time, so it was better to see the opportunity himself, so he continued: "The minister asked for a decree to reduce the charge of Chonghou, and it was still handed over to the Minister of the King for a repetition of the meeting of the six ministries and nine secretaries." ”

"Prince Alcohol should also be involved." The Empress Dowager Cixi said, "Zhang Zhidong understands things very well and also called him to the meeting." ”

"Yes." Prince Gong added, "Present for consultation." ”

This is to deliberately determine Zhang Zhidong's identity in the meeting, not to participate in the meeting, only to prepare consultants. The Empress Dowager Cixi nodded and agreed with Prince Gong's opinion.

Therefore, after two days, the cabinet meeting, presided over by the scholar Quanqing, prepared a folded draft in advance and sent someone to read it aloud, which was to use the discussion from outside as a reason for mitigating the crime, and it was completely aimed at the Russian and foreign ministers.

said, "Recently, I have heard that there is a lot of discussion in the outside world, and it is quite a matter of asking the guilt of China, and it is about Russia's face, which is very different from the original intention of the imperial court." Then he declared that he had made peace with Russia for many years without losing his friendship.

The mistake of Chonghou is not to explain to Russia in detail what China must not do.

Now, using the law of China to treat the crime of Chonghou has nothing to do with Russia, but I am afraid that the rumors from afar will be untrue and cause misunderstanding, so I will give extrajudicial favors and exempt Chonghou from the death penalty, and Zeng Jize will know about Russia.

This is the evidence of China's rapprochement with Russia. So an edict was issued, and when the autumn decision was made, he could not die. (To be continued.) )