On September 14, Emperor Guangxu wrote a secret edict and handed it to Yang Rui to bring to Kang Youwei and others.

The secret edict said: "Recently, I have looked up to the holy will of the Empress Dowager, and I do not want to change the old law, and I do not want to depose the old and mediocre ministers and appoint them with a brave and brave person, so that they can discuss politics, thinking that they are afraid of losing the hearts of the people."

"Although I have repeatedly decreed and rectified, and there are several admonitions at any time, the holy will is firm, and I am afraid that it will not help in the end. That is, it is like the Zhu edict of the nineteenth. (The edict of the dismissal of the six officials of the Ministry of Rites), the queen mother thought it was too heavy, so she had to Xu Tuzhi. This has been a real dilemma recently. I don't know that China is weak and sluggish, and as for the danger, it is all wrong by this generation; But once I make a painful decree, change the old law, and depose this generation of mediocre people, my power is really insufficient.

"If this is the case, then I will not be able to protect my position, let alone anything else! Now I ask you: What is the best way to change the old law, to depose the old and mediocre ministers, and to enboard the men who are able to speak and make them discuss the government, so that China can turn from danger to safety, and from weakness to strength, without having the will of the saints? You and Lin Xu, Tan Sitong, Liu Guangdi and other comrades should quickly prepare for the discussion, and the secret seal will be sealed, and the Minister of Military Aircraft will deliver it on behalf of the Minister of Military Aircraft, and wait for me to carefully consider and review it, and then handle it. ”

However, this secret edict of Emperor Guangxu was shelved by Yang Rui and not sent out in time. Of course, even if you send it out quickly, it won't help.

On this day, Yuan Shikai came to Beijing with his attaché and lived in Fahua Temple.

He knows very well that it is impossible to make a correct judgment without grasping the real situation. Therefore, the first thing I did when I stayed was to listen to the details that Xu Shichang heard.

On the 16th, Emperor Guangxu summoned Yuan Shikai at the Summer Palace and asked about the military details.

Yuan Shikai replied one by one.

Emperor Guangxu suddenly asked: "Can you be loyal to me with the task of commanding the army?" ”

As a courtier, who would dare to say disloyal to the emperor to his face? Unless you don't want a head!

Yuan Shikai hurriedly cursed and swore: "The ministers should try their best to repay the emperor's kindness, and they will think about it if they still have a breath." ”

After Yuan Shikai withdrew, Emperor Guangxu saw that his loyalty and sincerity overflowed his eyebrows, and he decided that he was a person who could be trusted.

So he sent the cabinet to his direct subordinates to check the vacancy, and to fill the vacancy with a waiter. It is still in charge of military training, and all matters that should be done are "ready to be played at any time."

Yuan Shikai was inattentive and was promoted again.

He wants to be promoted, he wants to be promoted, he wants to think about it very much, and he wants to dream about it. However, from the analysis of the situation that Xu Shichang heard, he obviously felt that this promotion was too unusual. lest it bring trouble to yourself and be detrimental to yourself.

So, in the afternoon, I hurriedly visited everywhere, explaining while continuing to listen to the news.

He first looked for Prince Li, but did not meet him.

Later, he went to meet with the co-organizer of the university, the secretary of the military department, the secretary of the Ministry of War, Wang Wenshao, the secretary of the Ministry of Households, the minister of military aircraft, and the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, Yulu. I learned from Xu Shichang that these people were all opponents of the Restoration.

For these people, "the preparation of the report is useless, and it must not be praised", and he must resign from the post of squire.

Wang Wenshao, the head of the household, said: This is from the grace of God, "Words are useless, but there are traces." ”

The same sentiment was expressed by several others.

Yuan Shikai dispelled the idea of resignation.

However, public opinion has been created, everything that should be found has been found, and everything that should be said has been said, and the heart is still a little calmer.

However, it is very strange that the matter of Yuan Shikai's promotion to the squire was soon spread to the city of Beijing.

How big is it for an official to be promoted from a vacancy to a waiter to be filled? It is clear that the reformers want to force Yuan Shikai into their chariot.

Kang Youwei was amazed by the case, thinking that Yuan Shikai would "recite with joy".

Li Lingzhi was stunned, and then he did the stupidest thing, ordering Bi Yongnian and other Yuan Shikai to lead people to abolish the Queen Mother of the West when he led the troops to besiege the Summer Palace. And it's not an individual arrangement, it's in front of a lot of people.

Maybe he wanted to cheer these people up, to boost their morale.

On the morning of September 17, Yuan Shikai entered the Summer Palace to thank him.

Emperor Guangxu summoned him again, praised him for his good military training, and told him that he could do his own things with Ronglu in the future.

The purpose is to free him from Ronglu's control and no longer obey Ronglu's orders in the future.

Interestingly, immediately after Yuan Shikai left the emperor, he went to visit the commander of the anti-reform faction.

Yuan Shikai may not have left a way back for himself, but it is more likely that he is still in a vacillation at this time. It can also be said that we are trying to find a balance between advancing and retreating, and between left and right.

On the same day, Yang Chongyi and others from the old-fashioned imperial history went to the Summer Palace to seal the affairs and asked the Empress Dowager Cixi to re-"discipline the government".

Emperor Guangxu felt that the general trend had gone, so he issued an edict and Kang Youwei quickly went to Shanghai to supervise the official report, without delay.

This was a pre-agreed code word, and after reading this edict, the reformers knew that something bad was going and that something great was about to happen.

Bi Yongnian felt the severity of the situation and asked Kang Youwei: "I will lose today!" It is unknown what happened to Yuan (Yuan Shikai). ”

Kang Youwei was hesitant and had no plan, and bet more and more on Yuan Shikai.

He thought that Yuan Shikai's military advisor Xu Shichang had a very good relationship with him, and said to Bi Yongnian: Let Tan Sitong, Liang Qichao, and Xu Shichang "go to Yuan (Yuan Shikai) and make it clear that success or failure is in this move."

After Xu Shichang heard the news, he immediately returned to Fahua Temple and discussed with Yuan Shikai.

What did the two of them secretly discuss? People don't know, but Yuan Shikai immediately went to visit the sworn enemies of the reformers, Yixuan and Li Hongzhang.

Through further investigation, Yuan Shikai has judged that the weak and powerless Guangxu Emperor and the reformers will undoubtedly be defeated, and the powerful Empress Dowager Xi will definitely win.

Besides, Rong Lu has tens of thousands of troops in Dong Fuxiang and Nie Shicheng, dozens of battalions of the Huai Army and the Lian Army, and there are still banner soldiers in Beijing. More than 100,000 people have a disparity in strength with only 7,000 people, and there is no chance of victory.

As soon as he returned to Fahua Temple, he received an urgent letter from Duan Qirui. The letter said that Dong Fuxiang and Nie Shicheng each had more than 10,000 troops near the station, and it was obvious that they were spying on them.

Perhaps, he was still a little hesitant before, but at this moment, he should have made a decision in his heart.

On the same day, Lin Xu handed over the secret edict written by Emperor Guangxu on the 14th to Kang Youwei.

Kang Youwei immediately held a meeting with Liang Qichao, Tan Sitong, Kang Guangren, Yang Rui and others to discuss the strategy of rescuing Emperor Guangxu.

Xu Shichang was also invited to attend the meeting.

They discussed and discussed, but they couldn't come up with a good idea.

One by one, they only cried loudly, wanting to impress Xu Shichang with bitter crying.

They all know the relationship between Xu Shichang and Yuan Shikai, and what kind of influence they have on Yuan Shikai.

And Xu Shichang also cried.

There is no doubt that he was at least a sympathizer of the Restoration. However, he had no choice but to do so. Because he knows that people must know the current affairs, and they know what they are doing and what they are doing.

His crying was not necessarily for these people. It is very likely that he is really sad for Emperor Guangxu and these people with lofty ideals around him. Because he counts the final result better than any of these people.

Under the condition that there was no way out, everyone finally agreed to entrust Tan Sitong to go to Yuan Shikai's residence and persuade him to "King Qin". led his new army to help Emperor Guangxu "ascend to the noon gate and kill Ronglu and get rid of the old party".

Tan Sitong originally disagreed with Yuan Shikai, because he always thought that Yuan Shikai was unreliable.

I argued with Kang Youwei many times about this. And Kang Youwei must use this person, and he has nothing to do.

What's more, if you want to save the situation, there is no other way to think at this time. can only try his best to arouse Yuan Shikai's righteous indignation and urge him to stand on the side of the imperial party to save the urgent need.

Liang Qichao also agreed to use Yuan Shikai.

Lin Xu disagreed, believing that Yuan Shikai was too treacherous and could not rely on trust, and even if things were successful, it would be difficult to control them in the future.

Therefore, he wrote a small poem to send Tan Sitong on behalf of Jane.

The poem says: "What is the use of crying blood, and how can generosity repay the grace of the Lord?" I am willing to sing a thousand miles of grass for the public, and those who are primordial do not speak lightly. (Qianlicao is a Dong character, originally Yuan Shao's character, here refers to Yuan Shikai)"

He warned Tan Sitong not to use Yuan Shikai rashly, but to use Dong Fuxiang.

However, at this moment, the matter is urgent, and there is no room for delay, Tan Sitong can only take a risk.

That night, Xu Shichang returned to Fahua Temple and told Yuan Shikai the results of the discussion between Kang Youwei and others and Tan Sitong's desire to come.

The two of them further discussed the countermeasures.