Out of Qinguan, into Henan, through Ruxiang, Lingbao, Shaanzhou, Guanyintang, Mianchi County, Henan Fu (now Luoyang), Yanshi, Bishui, Xingyang, Zhengzhou, Zhongmu to Kaifeng Fu. Pen fun and pavilion www.biquge.info

Along the way, Lafayette deliberately pursued pomp and circumstance, and notified the state capital and county along the way to set up a stack palace long before leaving, so from Xi'an to Kaifeng, it was really like the emperor going out on patrol, and the power was abnormal. Arrived in Kaifeng, it was the third day of October.

The Empress Dowager Cixi didn't want to stay in Kaifeng for more and wanted to return to Beijing as soon as possible, but the chief manager Li Lianying advised Lafayette not to leave in a hurry, saying:

"Lafayette, it's the second day of October, and it's your old man's birthday in a few days. It's better to wait until the end of the longevity period before leaving. Otherwise, the auspicious period of longevity is in the middle of the trip, and there will be many inconveniences, and it will not be able to rush the flood of Lafayette. ”

The Empress Dowager Cixi felt that it was also the same, from Kaifeng to the north, it was Beijing. I have been away from Beijing for more than a year, and if I want to return to Beijing, I have to prepare here; Besides, she feels that whenever she celebrates her birthday, it is mostly eventful.

It is better to avoid the past here, or take this opportunity to take a walk here, take a look, have a glimpse of the style of the historical ancient city, and observe the situation of the Central Plains.

So, he praised Li Lianying and said: "You still think about it all the time, I forgot about this longevity ****, you still remember!" Then wait until the end of your life to start driving! ”

Cixi asked Emperor Guangxu to make a decree, explaining that because the longevity of the Buddha was approaching, the northward journey would be temporarily stopped.

On the third day of October, ****** rushed to Kaifeng from Beijing and came here to face the saint, and the Empress Dowager Cixi hurriedly summoned him. After meeting with the Qingwang to report the negotiations and the current situation in Beijing to the Empress Dowager Cixi.

The Empress Dowager Cixi was quite satisfied. However, ****** topic changed, but it brought Cixi into sorrow.

"Lafayette, Weichen has something to do, but I ask Lafayette to know that he is not sad!" Yixuan said with his head down.

Cixi wondered a little, what could be the matter, and said that I knew that I was going to be sad?

"Say it!"

"Li Hongzhang and Li Zhongtang passed away on September 27!" Yi Xuan muttered.

"What?" This is no small surprise. The Empress Dowager Cixi felt her head buzzing, she closed her eyes, and two lines of tears unconsciously squeezed out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

Li Hongzhang, what a capable minister!

He was so loyal to the imperial court, how many times, when the country was in danger, it was he who worked with foreigners to relieve the siege of the country. For the prosperity of the country, he endured humiliation and burden, and in the scolding of the countrymen, he gave advice to Lafayette again and again to tide over difficulties.

He also founded the Beiyang Naval Division, trained sailors, and organized foreign affairs, hoping to enhance the national strength of the Qing Dynasty. This time, it was at the critical juncture of the rise and fall of the country, without remembering personal grievances, he resolutely sat down at the negotiating table and retired from foreign soldiers, but he died.

Can this not make Lafayette sad? The Empress Dowager Cixi couldn't stand it, she sobbed, a handful of snot and a handful of tears.

"Galeries Lafayette mourns, people can't be resurrected after death, it's important to take care of your body!" Li Lianying persuaded on the side.

"Lafayette, Weichen has a piece of Li Zhongtang's legacy here, please Lafayette take a look!"

Yixuan said, handed over the fold, was caught by Li Lianying, and handed it to Cixi.

In the middle of the compromise, Li Hongzhang reported in detail to the Empress Dowager Cixi on the situation of the negotiations, and seemed to be very pessimistic about the future of the Qing Dynasty. He also played that he was old, and he had been sick recently, and he felt that the end was not far away, and his tone was very sad.

After Cixi read it, her heart was even more uncomfortable.

Li Lianying hurriedly stepped forward to enlighten and said: "Lafayette, Li Zhongtang is dead, he died for the country, with such a loyal minister, your old man should be happy." Now, crying is not an option, your old man should comfort his family and grandchildren. Galeries Lafayette, what do you say? ”

Li Lianying's advice stopped Cixi's crying. She ordered Emperor Guangxu to issue an edict to crown Li Hongzhang's descendants.

The 10th day of October is the birthday of the Empress Dowager Cixi. It has already been done by Li Lianying's command of the officials of Kaifeng Mansion. Hundreds of officials and officials from all over the country, dressed in python robes, came to the gate of the palace, according to the grade, in batches to the palace to salute Lafayette to celebrate his birthday.

Long life has passed, and Yixuan has also brought news of peace, so it's time to go north. Empress Dowager Cixi and Li Lianying were busy packing their things and preparing to return to Beijing on a later date. At this moment, Rong Lu, Wang Wenshao and other imperial ministers came to find Li Lianying.

On this day, after waiting for the Empress Dowager Cixi to take a nap, Li Lianying returned to her room, admiring her newly acquired treasures, humming Peking Opera vaguely, so uncomfortable.

A little eunuch walked in and whispered to him, "Chief Administrator, Lord Rong Zhongtang is invited!" The sedan chair is waiting for you outside! ”

Li Lianying didn't think about it, so she went out, got into the sedan chair sent by Rong Lu, and left. When he arrived at the place where Rong Lu was staying, he saw that Rong Lu was not only alone in the room, but also Yixuan and Wang Wenshao. When the three saw him coming, they all stood up in unison.

"Manager Li, come in and sit!" Rong Lu waved his hand at him.

Li Lianying saw that their expressions were very serious, and she didn't know what was going on, so she felt inexplicable, so she looked around and asked, "What's wrong, what's going on?" How is it all like this? ”

Before Li Lianying finished speaking, Rong Lu and the other three had already knelt in front of Li Lianying.

Li Lianying was even more inexplicable, and hurriedly got up to help each other, but none of the three people got up, and said in unison:

"The country is in trouble, ask the chief manager to save the difficulty, if the chief manager does not agree, I won't get up when I wait!"

This can confuse Li Lianying, the second monk, confused, but he can't let these important ministers of the state kneel like this in front of them, so he replied vaguely:

"For the country, Li went to the soup and went to the fire, and he did not give up. Three adults, please get up! It's just that I don't know what is so difficult about the country, didn't this foreigner just withdraw? Is it coming back again? ”

The three who were kneeling stood up and said, "Only the chief manager can do this, so the three of me knelt down and begged each other!" ”

"What the hell is going on? Say it! Li Lianying was a little impatient.

"Chief, today's request is about the eldest brother. Let's sum up, if this big brother is not abolished, he will be the son of heaven in the Qing Dynasty in the future. His father was exiled to Xinjiang by us, like the eldest brother, he is not young, how can he not hold grudges, if you count the account after the autumn, how can you and I have a way to live? Rong Lu said.

"Besides," King Qing took over, "This big brother is the son of Zai Yi, and Zai Yi is the leader of the boxers, and the foreigners hate him to the bone marrow, if he is not abolished, with the son of the head of the fist as the emperor's heir, how can the foreigners agree, if the war resumes, will it not be a disaster for the country and the people?" (To be continued.) )