Guan Xuqing's illness gradually improved. Again the resumption of education to keep up with the court.

On this day, as usual, Guan Xuqing followed Cixi to the court. Sitting on the Taihe Palace, Cixi sat next to him. There are two rows of civil and military ministers standing in the hall.

Hunan patriotic general, sixty-year-old Zuo Zongtang took a step forward, and Guan Xuqing had seen him. Full of affection for him! I saw that after he saluted Cixi, he was high

said: "If the minister is the queen mother." ”

"Lord Zuo, please speak," Cixi said.

"I heard that Xinjiang has been very unquiet recently, and the traitor Agubai has hoisted the Turkish flag and issued currency in Hotan, Shache, Aksu, Kuqa and other places in Xinjiang, showing signs of treason. In addition, Tsarist Russia also sent troops to Ili with the intention of carving up the northwest. Zuo Zongtang said calmly.

"Who is this Aguba?" Cixi said.

At this time, Weng Tongsu stepped forward and said: "Hui Empress Dowager, this person is a general of the Kokand State in Central Asia, and he is extremely ambitious. As early as the third year of Tongzhi, he led troops to invade Xinjiang and established the Halal regime in Urumqi, which led to the forcible occupation of Ili by Tsarist Russia. ”

"Li Hongzhang, such a big thing, why have you never mentioned it to me?" Cixi asked Li Hongzhang angrily.

Li Hongzhang walked out and said embarrassedly: "The minister thinks that Xinjiang is a place outside the country, a vast desert, thousands of miles of red land, and sparsely populated. During the Qianlong period, he pacified Xinjiang, poured all the strength of the whole country, collected thousands of miles of open land, and increased tens of millions of expenses. According to the ministers, Xinjiang is gone, and the vitality of the limbs is not harmed, and if you take back Ili, it is bound to start a war with Tsarist Russia, and it is better not to accept it. ”

Seeing Li Hongzhang retreating like this, Zuo Zongtang couldn't help but be angry, glared at him indignantly and said, "Lord Li's words are ridiculous! In the north and south of the mountain, the grain production of the two roads is abundant, the melons and fruits are abundant, the cattle and sheep are all over the field, and the herds of horses are herded. Coal, iron, gold, silver and jade are extremely abundant. Sweat and blood BMW and Hetian Meiyu are produced here. The so-called thousands of miles of open land is actually a pot of treasure. In addition, I have been in Dingding Yandu, Mongolia has been sanitating in the north, and there has been no beacon alarm for more than 100 years...... Therefore, those in Xinjiang protect Mongolia, and those who protect Mongolia defend Beijing. If Xinjiang is not solid, Mongolia is unstable, and Mongolia is unstable, then Beijing is in danger! If the troops are stopped at this time, we will retreat and the enemy will advance. The queen mother, the minister thought that it was imperative to recover Xinjiang. If we don't fire a single shot and give up thousands of miles of land, won't our generation become a dignified sinner in China!? ”

Cixi nodded.

Li Hongzhang retorted: "The current national strength of our Qing Dynasty is weak, and it can no longer withstand the flames of war. Lord Zuo is alarmist, presumably belligerent and greedy! ”

"The minister is already sixty miles away, how can he be greedy for merit? The only thing I think about is my land and people in the Qing Dynasty. Zuo Zongtang laughed and stroked the long beard on his chest.

"Lord Zuo defends the country and worries about the people, full of enthusiasm, and no one in the court knows it." Weng Tongsu stepped forward and replied.

Guan Xuqing saw it in his eyes, and he admired Zuo Zongtang even more. It's just that I'm a little older, and I don't know how many years I can fight for myself. Alas, I didn't expect my teacher Weng Tongsu to be quite right!

"Lord Zuo is a man with ambitions. The spirit is commendable. Cixi said appreciatively, "Lord Zuo said well, why should I give up the land of the Qing Dynasty to others." Who wants to go? ”

Hey, I didn't expect this old witch to be upright! I don't give an inch in the national territory!! But thinking about history, Cixi dared to directly declare war with the Eight Kingdoms, so it is much easier to understand. This old witch is far more knowledgeable about power and political means than about military affairs.

"The old minister is willing to be a pioneer." Zuo Zongtang replied loudly.

Cixi was excited and worried when she heard this, and she was excited that someone was willing to lead the army to fight and recover the country. What worries me is that this Zuo Zongtang is a tendon. Give him too much military power, and it will not do him any good.

"Lord Zuo is very old, and he has a long way to go to Xinjiang. Food and lodging are not guaranteed, and you have to go into battle to kill the enemy. I'm afraid ......," Cixi thought for a moment and said.

"The queen mother doesn't have to worry too much, the old minister has been fighting all his life. Although Lian Po is old, he can still eat large pieces of meat and drink large bowls of wine. I think that Zhuge Kongming was a weak-crowned scholar in the past, with no power to restrain chickens, and he could repel Cao Cao's million-strong army. Killing the enemy in battle has its own fierce generals, and the ministers only need to sit in command of the Chinese army. Zuo Zongtang said.

"Okay, Lord Zuo is full of patriotism. He is worthy of being a loyal hero of my Qing Dynasty. Zuo Zongtang, this palace has given you the title of minister of the Qin Mission. The Mongolian Eight Banners and the Hunan Army are all under your control. Supervise the military affairs of Xinjiang. Cixi said excitedly.

"Obey."

Guan Xuqing didn't say a word. But he was quite satisfied with such a result, and the Xiang army was placed here by Zuo Zongtang, and he was a hundred at ease. Yongying is Dong Liang's army again. In this way, nearly 500,000 troops of the main national defense force of the Qing Dynasty have indirectly fallen into their own hands, and the rest of the hundreds of thousands of troops, such as the Manchurian Eight Banners, the Han Eight Banners, and the Green Battalion, are purely for decoration, and have no actual combat effectiveness at all. Far from it. Cixi had little practical use in holding these troops. Thinking of this, Guan Xuqing showed an imperceptible smile.

In the afternoon of this day, Li Lianying came to Prince Lu's mansion, and the two talked secretly in the study, and after chatting for a while, Prince Lu said: "Gonggong Li, I heard that the emperor's illness has been cured?" ”

"Well, I was going to die. Halfway through was saved by Princess Celestia. Li Lianying said.

"Doesn't the hospital have our reliable people? How do you ......?" said Prince Yan excitedly.

"Hey, the little emperor's nurse, the one named Cuixi, is guarding him all day long. Taste any medicine or water for yourself. Lafayette cares a lot, you say, who dares to do anything? The hospital has already opened the prescription tepidly, and the little rabbit cub will be fine by himself. Li Lianying said hatefully.

"All wishes come true, I don't believe it, there is no chance at all." Prince Tong said unwillingly.

"What? Is the prince in a hurry? Li Lianying glanced at him.

Prince Yan snorted coldly, but did not make a sound.