The air is cold, and Xu Yifan's careful liver is also cold. In the side courtyard of the Minister of Military Training. Tan Sitong stood proudly, with his kind of scholarly spirit of continuing to learn for the saints and opening peace for all generations, he looked coldly and expectantly at Xu Yifan, who was standing on his sleeves, compared to his jade-faced and star-eyed appearance, it looked much more obscene.

In the minds of later generations of indignant youths, what a beautiful picture of the stormy future. A young and ambitious scholar with ambitions in the world. The same young minister who had already seized power and was moving forward in the Qing bureaucracy. The waves of the Datong River sounded around them, the cold and fresh air of the foreign country was breathed, the morning breeze blew, and the clothes of the two people were floating high, just like their hearts were stirring......

One step further, the two of them should take a step forward and clasp their hands tightly. Xu Yifan should have said excitedly: "Brother Fusheng, as long as you say a word, as long as it is for the great cause of the country, my brother's surname is at your disposal!" The major events in the world are nothing more than between the two of my brothers! ”

And Tan Sitong should also redouble his strength to shake his hand back: "Brother Chuanqing, brother really didn't see the wrong person!" The wind and clouds will start from the meeting of you and me, the Western Bismarck, the career of the great prime minister of Cavour, and the deeds of the sages of the Oriental Ito and Saigo are the objects of our generation's emulation, and my lifelong career will start from here! Under the national situation, I will not spill my liver and gallbladder blood, but when! ”

…… Well, this meeting is more in Tan Sitong's heart.

But he was confident. These words, he carefully observed here, carefully figuring out Xu Yifan's pattern ambitions. The vitality on both sides of the Datong River, the division of the tigers, and the super-dense foreigners are all in his eyes. This is not a pattern of a squire who does not rely on heaven and earth, Xu Yifan wants more, this is already obvious. Combined with his actions along the way, from the capital to the Beiyang to the South Seas and then to Korea, it stirred up a storm for a long time, and the whole of East Asia was disturbed by him. No matter how you look at it, you are not a person who is satisfied with the status quo. As far as he Tan Sitong is concerned, why did Xu Yifan give him a huge amount of money to run a newspaper, desperately introduce the general trend of the world to the country, and also let him introduce the biography of the Meiji Restoration recently, advocating respect for the king and the Restoration. Isn't this the work of a man of lofty ideals who cares about the world?

In addition to these, the political struggle within the Qing Dynasty, Xu Yifan's status in the Qing Dynasty officialdom, and the current situation in North Korea have made Tan Sitong more confident.

Xu Yifan has no way out! He is now basically a minister, according to his official position and position of strength...... Put it back in China, and the closure of the territory is barely enough. He is already qualified to participate in high-level political battles. There is no progress, and retreat is an abyss. And he has sprung up, with no foundation, and now Cixi is suspicious, and the Huai system is pressing...... The Manchurian dynasty regarded him as a freak...... When the official position reaches this point, if you don't find a big backer in the imperial court, then there is really not much time left. In his current position, every move is not simply on behalf of himself. There are countless people, and quite a lot of forces will take advantage of, meddle in, buy, suppress, and even persecute nakedly...... Isn't he already feared by the traditional forces of the Qing Dynasty now, forced step by step, hoping that he will fall quickly?

Up and down the Manchu Dynasty, apart from the imperial party, except for the emperor, who else can support him? The emperor has no soldiers, and Xu Yifan has no backers. Teacher Enxiang has already considered everything properly, and only hopes that Xu Yifan will cooperate and take refuge. When the time comes, the world will probably change. The heavy responsibility of persuading these two hundred and five brothers is on his shoulders, for Xu Yifan's sake, he really has no reason to refuse, maybe he is still troubled by the fact that he can't get along with the imperial party!

Since he is his brother, he naturally has to think about his future wholeheartedly, right?

Tan Sitong was just full of confidence at this time. He was born in Hunan, a powerful province known as Prussia in China in recent times. Since the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Hunan has been in full swing, and generations of strong and tyrannical Hunan people have stepped onto the political stage of the whole of China. In addition to the talents of the world who were killed for the sake of the Manchu Dynasty and the rights and interests of the Qing Dynasty. There are also some characters who have different thoughts because of the increasingly important position of Hunan characters in the Qing Dynasty. Figured out the dragon slaying technique that has not been used for more than 200 years - to change the fate of a country with cloth clothes, to change the fate of a country and cultivate a hero's peerless science - the art of the emperor! (ps: Imperial art since the middle of the Ming Dynasty, almost not transmitted, under the high pressure of the Ming and Qing dynasties, there are few ambitious scholars who are always fantasies, but in recent times in Hunan revival.) In the end, it was a book born in the countryside of Hunan that generated a generation of Tianjiao, and later generations read the history so far, and they can't help but think a lot, smile, smile. ）

Although Tan Sitong is not so ambitious, he lives in Hunan and has no less dealings with those characters. I also learned some skills to figure out, and now he thinks that he has mastered Xu Yifan and the current pattern analysis thoroughly!

At this time, Scholar Tan was waiting for Xu Yifan's tiger body to be shocked.

At this time, Xu Yifan only had a wry smile on his face.

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As soon as the curtain moved, I saw the two elders who had run up to the room leading in, hurriedly walked to the front of the chaise longue in the inner hall and put the cushions, and then carefully dusted off the non-existent dust. Immediately afterwards, two delicate and lovely little maids walked in with a tall old man.

The old man was no stranger, it was Li Hongzhang. Not in the public hall or other occasions, nor in his signature room. Li Hongzhang also did not have his meticulous, strict and agile look. With his eyes half-closed, his waist slumped, and he also showed his old state. After all, he is an old man, and he is not beaten with iron. Almost half-leaning on the two little maids.

In these words, Li Hongzhang was bent on handling the negotiations with the other party, and in addition to taking care of the affairs of the Huai Army Brigade entering the DPRK. The army has been peaceful for a long time, and there are many affairs to transfer 20,000 troops into the DPRK, but it is not just talking, the entire Beiyang is full of chickens and dogs! The matter of asking for money and property everywhere also requires Li Hongzhang to tear down the east wall and make up the west wall in Beiyang, a big stall that leaks everywhere. It's fake that the old man is not tired, but with the breath of turning over, he has survived.

However, every day when I went to the diplomatic place and left the signing room, I could no longer hide my fatigue.

Behind him was Yang Shixiang, who also supported his old benefactor. Yang Shixiang's eyes are swollen and swollen, and it is estimated that these words are not lightly tired. But his expression was the same as Li Hongzhang's, and after showing his tiredness, he was satisfied.

Before Li Hongzhang stepped into the house, his entourage and maids summoned everywhere one after another: "The middle hall has returned home!" Hurry up and make up for your brains! Liren listens to the milk, and the hot is good to put the Oriental white sugar! Hurry up, wash your face and feet, and mix it with Lin Wenyan perfume! ”

Li Hongzhang here was already served and lay down, and the two little maids helped him take off his official boots, and the little chief in the upper room rubbed Li Hongzhang's head. Immediately afterwards, milk, brain juice, face and foot washing water were all sent in a row. It wasn't until Li Hongzhang's feet were put in the hot water that he groaned comfortably. A little maid carefully stirred the hot milk with a silver spoon, measured it with a thermometer, and it was exactly one hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit before it was served and handed to Li Hongzhang's lips. Li Hongzhang took two sips with his eyes closed, and half-opened his eyes to look. I saw Yang Shixiang sitting on the Mazha not far away, holding a bowl of Western milk in his hand, and then smiled with satisfaction: "Old man! At the end of the day, my whole body hurts...... This emperor's envoy, I don't think it will be long-term...... Whoever wants this Beiyang, who takes it! Let them try it, it's a longevity thing! ”

Yang Shixiang smiled slightly: "Except for Zhongtang, who can still play this Beiyang?" This stall is big and chaotic, the old man is fierce, can he call those proud soldiers of Beiyang? ”

Li Hongzhang closed his eyes comfortably and listened to Yang Shixiang.

“…… Those guys, raised them for twenty years. As a result, they all become waste! When I arrived in North Korea, I made a big joke, and the general soldier was actually detained! A group of pro-soldiers who claimed to be first-class heroes in the rivers and lakes were beaten with a blue nose and swollen face. Now several major commanders and commanders are gathered in Seoul, busy fighting for territory, station, and the Korean court...... After shaving Xu Yifan, how much more can I reward them? Let them march towards the north, one by one they complain bitterly, asking for pay and complaining. I don't want to think about it, just one stationed in Seoul, how many guarantees they have opened? ……”

Listening to Yang Shixiang saying that Huai Jun was not, the faint smile on Li Hongzhang's face did not diminish at all. If it was someone else, so Huai Jun, Li Hongzhang would have jumped up a long time ago. These chapters of Li Hongzhang's recitals to the imperial court were still boasting in great tones that the 20,000 male divisions of the Beiyang Huai Army had arrived in Seoul with lightning speed. The Korean people fragrant flowers for ten miles to welcome Wang Shi. The Huai soldiers were loyal and brave to the king, and there was no crime in the autumn. Xu Yifan obediently listened to Pyongyang, and said that the envoy was dormant in the legation under the shock, and the guards of the legation saw the banner of the Huai army, as if they saw the heavenly people, and exchanged ears: "Isn't it the Huai army tiger army that defeated the powerful country of Western France?" Don't move lightly! "These 20,000 heavenly soldiers are waiting to pacify the land of Haidong.

Privately, it seems that Li Laozhongtang completely knows what their Huaijun surname is.

“…… However, these martial artists still listen to Zhongtang's words. The other armies are only worse than us. Who can transfer 20,000 troops across the sea into the vassal country at a time, except for Zhongtang? The strength is enough to protect itself, this soldier is too elite, these commanders are too capable and united, and they will be envied. Isn't Xu Yifan an example? What is the court afraid of him? Whether it is 8,000 soldiers or 10,000 soldiers, it is all his own, and the people below can't share his power, and he is too capable of fighting. We all know how difficult it is to pacify a vassal country alone! Our Huai army, 20,000 heroes, don't dare to do anything with him...... Can the worries of this court be deep? ”

Listening to Yang Shixiang's laughter there, Li Hongzhang slowly opened his eyes: "Lianfang, it's better to be cautious!" It seems that the imperial court is still protecting Xu Jue, and our negotiations have been completed. Dongyang has long been soft, this is a good treaty that has not been seen in 20 years, the Empress Dowager has not used the treasure there, and it is not the one who scruples to let Xu Yifan go to apologize? One is the dignity of the Celestial Empire, and the other is that we are afraid that Xu Yifan will swallow his Praetorian Guards if he leaves, and Beiyang will be even more powerful...... In this game, we haven't won it all! ”

He pressed his forehead, kicked away the girl who was gently pinching his legs, and looked doubly tired at this time: "Why did we come out this time?" This isn't a small game...... Lafayette let me Li Hongzhang come out again, and it is not the time for foreigners to force them to go abroad. One is that I, Li Hongzhang, have enough qualifications, and the other is that Xu Yifan's rise has faintly disrupted the pattern of the imperial court!

Our big broken house is not afraid of poverty, not afraid of grievances, but afraid of chaos...... Long life of Lafayette, the picture is stability. It's nothing for the foreigners to lose a little, and if we delay the overall situation of Lafayette's leisurely travel, it will be bad. The court has been in place for 20 years, and we are all in our place. Suddenly a new guy appeared, with soldiers and merits, and Lafayette was also afraid that someone would want to take advantage of the opportunity...... That's why I want Li Hongzhang to come out and suppress these people's confused thoughts. The affairs of our country's dynasty, there is no way to retreat on the shelf, Xu Yifan does not collapse, this court situation has always left a crack, I Li Hongzhang has been a veteran for decades, this status is not majestic, and there is a seam! Let's be in front of the gun, and everything that should be done is absolutely done. But the above is still unpredictable, we are caught in the middle, and it is also difficult to be a person! ”

This Li Hongzhang's emotion is genuine. Yang Shixiang smiled faintly, Li Hongzhang said it implicitly, but there was anything behind it that he didn't understand?

The Qing Dynasty is under the power of the country, and this has long been a matter that cannot be understood. Even Li Hongzhang, a first-class figure, is just a pastemaker, and he is often suppressed because his position is too high and his power is too heavy. The entire Qing court, especially Lafayette and her subordinates, closed their eyes and only wanted to be safe. The foreigners forced to come to the door, and the rights and interests of the compensation were not paid out by Lafayette himself. But to lose this status, you will step on the tail of Galeries Lafayette! Originally, the balance between the top and bottom of the court was all painstakingly managed over the past 20 years, and it was best not to move for the rest of your life. To each his own, he cares what the Western and Eastern worlds have changed.

Now suddenly a new force is rising, and what Lafayette is most worried about is what the emperor is thinking wrongly! So we have to take precautions. Either take this force for your own use, or simply clean it up. Rong Lu, who was used to collect Xu Yifan's head and monitor him, was picked up by Xu Yifan, and Xu Yifan was even more successful in the world, becoming a rare figure in the past 20 years who made the country raise his eyebrows. If you want to suppress him and deal with him, now you can only use Li Hongzhang!

Li Hongzhang rose up in response to the order, and also deeply understood Lafayette's thoughts. A series of arrangements for Xu Yifan did not leave his hands. Li Laozhongtang knew clearly decades ago, and now in the Qing Dynasty, who is the real talker. This Lafayette's gun is a tiger -- this is also a matter of no law, and political struggle is originally a matter of life and death. Xu Yifan will not collapse completely, if his power is still left, and he will turn over one day, it will be a disaster for himself!

Thinking a little deeper, if Xu Yifan didn't collapse, but what path did he take, he showed his loyalty to Lafayette and became a minister that Lafayette thought was reliable and available...... Isn't that a good material that can be used to suppress Beiyang?

Li Hongzhang has already made a heavy hand, but Lafayette is still hesitating and has not expressed his position. This made Li Dazhongtang, who was infinitely beautiful during this time, depressed.

However, Yang Shixiang at this moment was not as troubled as Li Hongzhang, but he could be said to be confident, he put down the milk in his hand and smiled lightly: "Zhongtang, what are you worried about?" In the current matter, Lafayette has not made a decision for a long time, is he not afraid that our Beiyang will swallow Xu Yifan's strength, and it will be difficult to restrain it? With Xu Yifan, maybe we can balance our Beiyang...... But Lafayette is also deeply jealous of Xu Yifan, in case he leans on the emperor...... Then what, it's even harder to clean up. At this time, it is difficult to make a decision, isn't that what it is? ”

Li Hongzhang straightened up from the couch, his eyes shining. The arrogance suddenly returned to his body: "If Xu Yifan doesn't fall, it is nothing more than fighting him to the end!" Since I, Li, have never regretted it! ”

Yang Shixiang stood up and laughed and bowed: "Zhongtang is so arrogant again, what are you afraid of?" What does Xu Yifan compare with Zhongtang for decades? Lafayette is now thinking about choosing the lesser of two evils, and Zhongtang didn't notice that Lafayette transferred the fold of the contract to the emperor as soon as possible, what does that mean? ”

Li Hongzhang's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty...... No, old man...... They're not that stupid, are they? ”

Yang Shixiang was just high-spirited: "These scholars who don't understand affairs are so stupid!" Tan Sitong, a student of Lao Weng, left Shanghai for North Korea, and before leaving with those poor people, he wrote poems and Ji Sheng, and made himself a situation with Ito Hirofumi of the Qing Dynasty. The old man recently contacted the official Qingliu, preparing to impeach us for losing the dignity of the Celestial Empire, and sent a messenger to apologize for the unprecedented ...... The emperor is not a British lord! Lafayette just wants to see the emperor's attitude and decide how to deal with Xu Yifan, and the old man still makes the emperor do him such a move, which is to help Xu Yifan! The old man's heart of fame is far beyond others, and it was his move to embezzle the navy's public funds to build the Summer Palace, but in fact, he didn't want to please Lafayette? As a result, such a move is still regarded as an imperial party, and Lafayette is not uncommon to him. He also went to the dark with all his heart, and he hoped that the emperor would return to power! He's playing with fire! Look, in the middle hall, within ten days, the court didn't fully approve of our intentions, so they gouged out my eyes!

Xu Yifan, he's finished! ”

After that, he gave up his hand again solemnly and slammed it to the ground.

Li Hongzhang's face moved first, and he subconsciously said: "Are these news true?" Before the words came out, looking at Yang Shixiang's solemn face, he realized that it was redundant. With Yang Shixiang's Hanlin foundation, long sleeves and good dancing, plus silver to open the way, these people are in Beijing to inquire about the news, observe the political dispute, if it is not true, how can they say to him?

His eyebrows raised, and his joy suddenly revealed. Yang Shixiang looked at Li Hongzhang's face, and was about to laugh with his old benefactor, but unexpectedly saw Li Hongzhang's face fall down, and in a blink of an eye, his face was full of loneliness. He waved his hand lightly and motioned for Yang Shixiang to step back. This wise man is full of puzzles, and he can only bow and go out. When he got to the door, he muttered in his heart: "This old middle hall is really old and obscure?" The news that came through hard work, and the painstaking planning, changed to this? ”

In the upper room, Li Hongzhang stood for a long time, and just smiled infinitely mockingly for a long time.

"Three thousand miles away to find the marquis...... What a joke. When I was determined to clarify the world, I was old, and I was full of thoughts about this tattered power...... It's just a matter of being a pastemaker. Others make careers, but they have to put others down...... Teacher, teacher, when you disbanded the Hunan Army and handled the Tianjin teaching case to defile yourself, did you feel the same mood as me at this time?

Xu Yifan...... Xu Yifan, can you survive this? Can you be better than my old man Li? ”

(To be continued)