Ah Caiwang's mysterious military advisor reminds him to be steady, because only by stabilizing can he attract the attention of the other party, and he will be able to obtain better results to achieve his goal.

Just when Ah Caiwang was still wondering whether he wanted to send someone to contact the other party, Lin Haijiang's fleet had already set sail after being fully equipped, and the destination was Tianjin Wei.

The eleven ironclad ships of the Chinese Empire rode the wind and waves in a column, and Lin Haijiang was using charcoal irons to iron his court clothes and fake braids! Everything on the ship that did not wear false braids were all engineers, and all the activities on the deck were replaced by the Manchu soldiers.

The regimental dragon flag that had been retained before also came in handy, and Lin Haijiang now finally realized the benefits of information dissemination, that is, after he announced the establishment of the Chinese Empire in the old port, because he was preparing to continuously use troops abroad, the old port implemented military control, and then Hainan Island and Taiwan, which had just stabilized, implemented military control and curfews, verified the true identity of the businessmen who came and went, and carried out detailed registration of the residents on the island when they went out.

On April 15, 1859, Yixin, who had been in Tianjin Wei for a long time, finally got a news that was not good news, that is, the main fleet of the Nanyang Naval Division would arrive in Tianjin Wei to welcome the Empress Dowager Cixi of the West.

Yixin hurriedly informed the Gyeonggi side of the news, and Cixi, who got the news, came in an unusually light car, and when the Western Empress Dowager who only brought twenty plainclothes guards to Tianjin Wei in four carriages, Yixin was frightened and pale, and Zeng Guofan, who opened the middle door with him to welcome the Empress Dowager, was also soaked in cold sweat.

For Yixin and Zeng Guofan, Cixi snorted slightly, and with the support of the two palace maids, she went straight into the Beiyang Yamen, followed by Yixin and Zeng Guofan, who looked at each other and hurriedly followed.

Yixin didn't understand what Cixi said before that she wanted to make a big show and let the world know, but this time she was light and simple? What is the purpose of that?

After taking a seat in the back hall, Cixi cleaned her face with a slightly wet handkerchief handed by the palace maid, and then whispered slowly: "The mourning family hurried over after receiving the news, and the honor guard and so on have not been brought out. The mourners asked you if you had such a thing? ”

Yixin glanced at Zeng Guofan, and he was really afraid of anything! After hesitating for a moment, Yixin said: "This is also an unfounded thing, now the rumors are almost flying all over the sky, if the gang of men in the capital who are walking birds and teasing dogs don't make any noise that day, then their day will be in vain." ”

Zeng Guofan also stood up and arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty's side is also full of rumors, I verified and discussed with Prince Gong and analyzed it, saying that it is not the first time that Lin Haijiang has the news of self-reliance, but this time he has an eye, but the place is a barren island outside the country?" It seems to be very unusual, the previous few times still caught the rumor-mongers, after investigation is the detailed work of the bandit disorder party, this time it is difficult to escape the bandits, such as my break with the Nanyang break is the most benefited is the bandit rebellion party, I Beiyang before the army with the monk king heavy troops to contain the bandits, when I Beiyang into an army, and Nanyang a south and a north to attack the bandits, when it can take effect. ”

Cixi nodded slightly and said, "Are you saying that this rumor was created by bandits?" Did we pass it on? ”

Zeng Guofan immediately closed the door in the face of Cixi's inquiry, this is something that offended the bird walker in Manyan City! It is naturally not easy for a Han member to speak, and Prince Gong Yixin on the side nodded stiffly.

Cixi turned her head to An Dehai who was standing next to her and said: "Xiao Anzi, you go back to Beijing immediately, and those who walk the dogs will be killed on the spot, and the birds will be released." ”

An Dehai glared at Yixin, and said quite dissatisfied: "Queen Mother, don't be angry, what are those slaves below doing?" Nothing but to block you, their upper lip is on the lower lip, we want to offend the banner people of Manyan City? Who is this doing bad to us! ”

Cixi heard what An Dehai's voice meant, but she was not angry, and said with a slight smile: "Dog slave, if you have to go, just say directly, these birds, birds, dogs and dogs are equal to what you save, so they are also a living being, aren't they?" It's more or less meritorious. ”

Yixin hated the root of his teeth on the side, but An Dehai was deeply favored by Cixi, and this guy dared to provoke the queen mother of the two palaces, disrespect himself, and ask for bribes? How dare a eunuch blackmail Prince Gong? Yixin was a little helpless, because this eunuch was the chief of the inner hall with a four-rank crown.

The laws of the Qing Dynasty stipulate that the eunuch has the highest five grades and the lowest from the eight ranks, and An Dehai has made great contributions to the secret envoy who has been in contact with him in the contest between the two palaces and the eight ministers, and has made an exception to reward him with the top of the four grades.

However, Yixin hates the arrogant and domineering An Dehai very much, but he has no way to deal with An Dehai.

Zeng Guofan, who was half a position behind Yixin, learned for the first time the domineering and arrogant of the legendary An Dehai, although Zeng Guofan did not want to see 10,000 in his heart, but his face was not revealed at all.

Cixi hesitated for a moment and said directly: "The mourning family also thinks that since Lin Haijiang dares to come to Tianjin Wei, he can't say that there are no ghosts in his heart, at least not for the time being, so the mourning family's trip to Nanyang has also become a foregone conclusion. The mourning family wants to go over and take a look! ”

Yixin heard that Cixi was going to Jinghai's garden, and suddenly looked at Zeng Guofan, Zeng Guofan was shocked, the garden had already been destroyed when there was a bandit rebellion last time, didn't the court know? Or is it only the Queen Mother of the Two Palaces who is not clear?

When Cixi saw Yixin and Zeng Guofan, you look at me and I look at you, so she was unhappy and said: "The mourning family didn't think about it, as the queen mother, living in the garden built by the first emperor and the emperor is not a violation, right?" ”

An Dehai seized the opportunity and said: "Queen Mother, you have seen it with your own eyes today, and in the past, you always said that the minions slandered them, how about it?" They really don't have any filial piety at all! It's just a broken garden and it's still pushing. ”

Who is Zeng Guofan? The soul of a generation of great Confucian soldiers who led the Hunan army, some things have reached the point of being tolerable or unbearable, Zeng Guofan looked at An Dehai who was fiddling with right and wrong, and still had a conclusion in his heart when he looked at Cixi who was expressionless.

So Zeng Guofan suddenly angrily scolded An Dehai and said: "Where are you, a disloyal, unfilial, unrighteous, and shameless bastard, fiddling with what is right and wrong? Did you know that the eunuch was killed by 3,600 knives? This is my Beiyang Yamen, the Queen Mother is here, and there are Prince Gong and our courtiers, where can you get the dog barking wildly? This Beiyang is the foundation of my Qing Dynasty, I have the Golden Arrow King Order Card given by the emperor above the lobby, and the second grade and below do not need to be reported, if you don't believe it, I will let you know today what it means to let you have copper skin and iron bones, and it is difficult to resist my military law like a furnace. ”

Belch! An Dehai, who was speaking energetically, was like a chicken that was twisted around his neck, and he didn't move, and looked at Zeng Guofan, who was looking at him with a righteous and angry face, with an incredible and frightened gaze.

At this time, An Dehaicai remembered that this Zeng Guofan was not Prince Gong who just relied on his mouth, this was Zeng Guofan, who held the first strong team of the Qing Dynasty! With a wave of his hand, he was also the master of 1,800 heads on the ground, and he could only look at Cixi pitifully in desperation.

Although Cixi was annoyed that Zeng Guofan beat the dog and didn't look at the owner, but now is the time to employ people, she can't say that Zeng Guofan is not, so she can only nod slightly and say: "Lord Zeng, what kind of trouble do you make with him as a five-step person, their eunuchs are villains, and the mourning family has their own opinions, they are just adding fun." ”

Yixin looked at An Dehai as pitiful as a pug, and his heart was very happy! secretly admired Zeng Guofan, thinking that he would never be able to learn Zeng Guofan, after all, that guy was much more intimate than between himself and the two palaces.

Zeng Guofan glared at An Dehai, who was quietly cowering and cowering, and bowed his hand to Cixi and said: "Empress Dowager Qiqi, the garden Xianfeng over Jinghai was attacked by bandits and soldiers in the sixth year of the year, and it was already dilapidated, so please move Ningfu Garden!" Where the subordinates have already sent people to pack up and guard the fortification, the Nanyang Navy Division can still see the whole picture of its fleet as soon as it arrives. ”

Cixi heard that the Jingyuan had been destroyed for a long time and had not been rebuilt, so she looked at An Dehai meaningfully and said to herself: "It is not easy for our two palace queens to pull a child, orphans and widows, and many people are bullying us young people nowadays, and we are always separated from each other when we do things!" Let's say a word of punishment today, today's we represent the emperor's future meaning, fooling us today is equivalent to fooling the emperor, our sisters are magnanimous, in case the emperor is in charge, someone's head will be in danger, like Prince Gong, Lord Zeng's court pillars are becoming fewer and fewer, sad family! ”

Saying that, Cixi wiped her tears, Yixin and Zeng Guofan hurriedly knelt down and said that the ministers were terrified.

Cixi was about to set off for Ningfu Garden, and when she arrived at the middle gate, she suddenly asked for no reason, who was sent by Beiyang to inspect Nanyang affairs with the mourning family?

Zeng Guofan hurriedly stepped forward half a step, and the diagonal line with Prince Gong was slightly half a step away, and he said: "The ministers chose Li Hongzhang and Tang Jiayao to serve on an errand. ”

Cixi was slightly stunned, and then said, "Can the two of you be?" ”

Zeng Guofan hurriedly replied: "The two of them have been waiting for a long time, so let's go to Ningfu Garden to wait?" ”

Cixi hesitated for a moment and said, "Let's meet the mourning family here!" ”

However, after a while, Li Hongzhang and Tang Jiayao rushed over in the clothes from the fourth and fifth grades respectively, and the two knelt down and said that they would see the Empress Dowager Wan'an.

Cixi was very happy that both Yixin and Zeng Guofan, and now these two subordinates skillfully avoided the Western characters, so she said to the two: "You raise your heads and let the mourning family see, I am a capable minister of the Qing Dynasty." ”

Li Hongzhang, who was kneeling on the ground, secretly exchanged a look with Tang Jiayao, and the two slowly raised their heads, Cixi was a little unappetizing when she saw the swarthy Li Hongzhang, especially the angular face was not pleasing at all, but when she looked at Tang Jiayao again, her eyes lit up.

This is clearly a beautiful man who looks like Pan An! Fair-skinned sides, bright eyes, red nose and lips, and a pleasant voice, the more Cixi looked at Tang Jiayao, the more she liked it, she was just twenty-three years old at the time, she was in great torment, unlike Ci'an, Ci'an has been educated since she was a child, and she has been quietly cultivated and not arrogant and impatient, and she can endure loneliness, and Cixi has been pampered by Xianfeng since she entered the palace for most of the time, and how can she forget the feeling of **?

But there are many people in the palace, especially Ci'an Dong Palace, who dominates the whole palace, and there are Yixin and others outside, and it doesn't matter what she does, so she naturally doesn't dare to take people back to the palace, but she is afraid of provoking criticism if she looks at it a few more times.

But today, somehow Cixi is a little confused? seems to be fascinated by this Tang Jiayao.

Yixin and Zeng Guofan, who were standing on the side, were both people who came over and understood, and they knew that it was going to be a bad thing when they heard Cixi's expression, especially Zeng Guofan, who was recommended by him! If there is really any scandal in the silver chaos court, he and his own name will be ruined in an instant.

Zeng Guofan calmed down for a moment, and quietly stabbed Prince Gong Yixin beside him, Yixin coughed lightly and said, "Please Empress Dowager Fengluan to drive Ningfu Garden!" ”

Cixi was slightly embarrassed for a moment and then said to Zeng Guofan: "The mourning family accidentally understands the matter of the water master, let Li Hongzhang and Tang Jiayao go to Ningfuyuan to tell the mourning family in a while!" ”

Zeng Guofan took a deep breath, the stakes were so important that he didn't dare to be sloppy, he knew Cixi's psychology very well at this moment, so he said loudly: "Empress Dowager, Tang Jiayao is a household department who doesn't understand the affairs of the water master, Li Hongzhang is also proficient in the water master, the minister thinks that Li Hongzhang can go, and the departure is imminent, and the minister still has something to explain to Tang Jiayao, so as not to miss your itinerary and national affairs." ”

What Zeng Guofan said can be said to be reasonable, Cixi glanced at Tang Jiayao a few more times, and said with a slight reluctance: "Okay then!" Now that the personnel have been decided, the palace does not want other differences and transfers, and the palace thinks that Li Hongzhang and Tang Jiayao are very good! ”

"Someone! Record! Li Hongzhang and Tang Jiayao are exemplary in their dedication to their duties, and they will be promoted to the next level, and they will each be rewarded with a yellow jacket! Cixi's grace made Yixin and Zeng Guofan also have to kneel down and thank the Empress Dowager for her favor.

After Cixi Luan left, Yixin and Zeng Guofan's faces became more and more ugly, especially Zeng Guofan's face became iron-blue, and he glanced at Tang Jiayao and left with a cold snort.

Tang Jiayao, who was kneeling on the ground, looked around innocently, Yixin hesitated, and finally left with his sleeves flicked up, Yixin knew very well that it was impossible to change people, but if this little white face was allowed to go, what if there was any silver smell?

This Zeng Guofan is also yes, who is not easy to choose, but he chose this guy who is like a rabbit master, how many are like Li Hongzhang, and he has no evil thoughts for a long time.

After Cixi left, she meditated quietly in the study of Ning Fuyuan, and even An Dehai drove out, she didn't understand what happened to her today? Suddenly such a gaffe? actually rewarded the two of them in front of everyone, I believe that the discerning person would have seen what was going on.

Cixi felt very uncomfortable, an inexplicable discomfort that could not be spoken? The legs tightened more and more, Tang Jiayao's appearance suddenly appeared in front of him, and his hands moved unconsciously? Suddenly, a dark, thin but heroic person appeared in Cixi's mind, especially the two blazing eyes that seemed to be lightning?

Lin Haijiang? Cixi's already confused eyes suddenly brightened, the impression that the Nanyang Admiral gave himself at that time was just like this, now compared with Tang Jiayao, the two of them are obviously not on the same level, Lin Haijiang gives people a domineering attitude that is not humble or arrogant, every time he kneels, he looks a little reluctant, giving others as grace, but giving him is like a punishment?

And Tang Jiayao is a kind of submissive man, lacking the sense of security and explosive passion and courage she needs, but now her identity makes her only stay alone in the empty room, she is only twenty-three years old! How long will it take to keep it? Sometimes Cixi is even more envious of those village women in the market, on the way to Tianjin Wei, she met a village woman who remarried and stopped and watched for a long time, and her heart was very uncomfortable, as the so-called gain is also loss!

However, when I thought of Lin Haijiang's various Cixi when he entered the palace, I wanted to laugh a little, but Nanyang has become a tail-big situation, will Beiyang be the next Nanyang in the future? Moreover, the foreign affairs of Beiyang are very incompatible with the ancestral system of the Qing Dynasty. How? Change makes sense? The general rule is smooth? Along the way? Cixi found that her mind seemed to be too heavy, and some of the previous ** also disappeared.

In desperation, she sighed slightly, no matter how strong a woman is, she is still a woman! On many issues, she can only listen to the advice of those courtiers with different hearts, whether it is a party dispute or a dispute between nobles, courtiers, and Manchus and Hans, in the final analysis, it is still a benefit, and she just needs to be the one who loses her bones!

When Cixi thought that Lin Haijiang was slowly falling asleep with a plate and gobbling it up, Lin Haijiang was standing on the bridge of the Zhenyuan ship without sleep, and the battleship that was advancing through the waves rose and fell from time to time, except for Erjia Wuji on duty, there were only five armed sailors and officers on duty.

When he hesitated for dinner, Lin Haijiang made an exception to instruct the whole fleet to send out some wine with flag lights, so the sailors slept very soundly today, especially the members of the Marine Corps, who were snoring like thunder, and after inspecting the rest of each cabin, Lin Haijiang returned to the bridge, Jia Wuji hurriedly stood up and saluted, and quickly poured a cup of strong tea and handed it over!

For this third batch of Prussians who returned from studying abroad and was recently promoted to the second officer of the Zhenyuan ship, Lin Haijiang always felt that his name had some special significance?

Jia Wuji? Jiawu Festival? Lin Haijiang shook his head helplessly, Jiawu has become a non-existent historical term, if nothing else, the term "Ben" will also be completely extinguished within twenty years, and it will be replaced by the Dongying Province of the Chinese Empire.

However, Lin Haijiang would never have thought that someone would miss him and fall asleep slowly, if Lin Haijiang knew that this person was the Empress Dowager of the Western Palace of the Qing Dynasty, the famous Cixi in history, how would he feel?

(To be continued)