"Come, let's see. This is our young master. Cixi gave the diplomatic account of the "Business Times" in her hand to Li Lianying and asked the ministers of military aircraft present to take a look: "Look at how good this photo is, it really gives the mourning family a face."

Cixi's words were tepid, always with some cynicism. When Weng Tongyi's gaze turned to himself, Sun Yuwen knew that something bad was wrong. This "Wu Shibao" was published in the capital a few days ago, and many people in the capital took the newspaper back to pay tribute. The emperor's true face is not something that anyone can see. After this village, it's hard to say whether there are any shops. So many people said that no one showed this number to the Queen Mother, but they brought it themselves. didn't think that the Queen Mother didn't even ask a word after reading it, so she directly recruited the Minister of Military Aircraft.

I thought that handing over the newspaper to the Queen Mother, and then refuting it in front of the Queen Mother that the emperor had violated the ancestral teachings, and then saying something that the emperor intended to buy people's hearts, so as to arouse the vigilance of the Queen Mother, and once again suppress the emperor's momentum. This is the queen mother, when the emperor returns to the palace, as long as Weng Tongyi plays a little in front of the emperor. Sun Yuwen himself is in big trouble. Why do you make this limelight yourself?

"Why don't you speak." Cixi put down the teacup: "Laishan, you can talk about it." You brought the newspaper. ”

Say? How to say, Sun Yuwen looked around, and everyone looked at him with different eyes. Especially Prince Li, Shiduo, that is obviously saying: The emperor is not in the palace, you are provoking right and wrong.

"Our Lady of the Queen Mother, the slave just looks at the emperor's wise and holy martial arts in this newspaper, so I give it to the Queen Mother for a purpose."

"Yes, the mourning family called everyone to come, and they didn't want to reprimand anything. This also wants the people of the world to know who this emperor is. But the emperor did go too far. You all persuade a little more. Don't think that one is one out. Especially Weng Tongyi, you are the emperor. Cixi didn't wait for the ministers to reply: "The mourning family knows about this." "Cixi has set the tone for this matter, and don't mention it again in the future.

"Wow." Kneeling again.

"The reason why we called everyone here. I want you to give me an idea. The United States and Germany have been repeatedly urged to ask when the construction of the railroad can begin. This Tang Shaoyi's mourning family also asked, but said that he would not be sure until the emperor returned to Beijing. Tell me about it. Now that the emperor is not in Beijing, someone has to take care of this matter. ”

Cixi looked at the newspaper and thought in her heart, as soon as this newspaper came out, everyone in the world would know who the emperor was. There are still a few people who know that I am the queen mother. If it goes on for a long time, I am afraid that the hearts of the people in the world will really go to the emperor. And recently, because of the construction of the railway, the ministers of various countries are looking for the emperor. Although the emperor didn't ask and still held it in his hands, Cixi always had something wrong in her heart. Take advantage of this matter to summon all the military planes to ask, if this matter can be done, so that the ministers of various countries can see, this Qing Dynasty or I, the queen mother, have the final say.

What does this mean by Queen Mother? None of them quite understood. Everyone was originally opposed to the construction of the railway, and the last time the emperor promised it was just a coping word. No one paid attention to it. When it came to the fact that the ministers of the four countries took it seriously, they asked questions from time to time, especially the ministers of virtue and virtue really made a few proposals. Just when everyone didn't know how to answer, Li Lianying whispered a few words to the Queen Mother, only to see the Queen Mother frown: "Everyone is back, but the heart is still wild." You all think about it when you go back. Kneel down. ”

Guangxu returned from Tianjin and arrived in the capital early the next morning, but he did not return to the palace, but went directly to the military academy. The 632 students, teachers and other personnel of the Beiyang Martial Arts Academy also lived in the capital before the opening today, and they will arrive tomorrow. Guangxu went to take a look, otherwise he couldn't rest assured. Accompanied by Ouyang Zhenhua, Guangxu once again inspected various facilities. When he saw that all kinds of equipment had been prepared and neatly placed, Guangxu was relieved. Duan Qirui, Wang Shizhen, and Feng Guozhang had already left Beijing early in the morning to pick up the Beiyang Martial Arts Academy, which had already departed. It seems that when I was away, everyone was still attentive. After a while, he turned around and went to the Kyoto University Hall.

Because of the addition of 300,000 taels of silver from the Queen Mother, the Jingshi University Hall was completed as scheduled. And Rong Hong, who returned from the United States, arrived in the capital two days earlier than Guangxu, although he was a little dissatisfied with the current enrollment work, but he would not overthrow the past. A few adjustments are enough. But he is now arguing with Cen Chunxuan, who is in charge of money and food. The reason is that because of the completion of the Kyoto University Hall, the funds left in the University Hall are less than 30,000 taels. Some of his ideas, such as the need to enlarge the library and add teaching aids, especially the payment of salaries for the recruitment of teachers, suddenly made this meagre amount of money insufficient.

"No more talk. What Rong Lao said can't be delayed. In the end, it's not that it can't be done, but that there is no money. This is my negligence, and I will solve the matter of money. Guangxu waved his hand. After all, it's just a word for money. But this money has made Guangxu powerless. The new army wants money, the new school asks for money, and Lang Weili, who is a sailor, has only been in office for a few days, and he has already done his job in a proper manner, saying this and that, in the final analysis, he wants money to buy coal and artillery shells for training.

"Little Kouzi, how much money do we have?" Just entered the Forbidden City, Guangxu was asking. Walking on the way back to the palace, Guangxu's mood has not been high. You can't do anything without money, but it's not that the Qing Dynasty has no money, but that this emperor has no money. What's going on?

Kou Liancai didn't reply for a long time, which surprised Guangxu. Kou Liancai knows how to do things and is also very loyal. I agree with Guangxu's series of ideas from the heart, and I also do my best to do things for the emperor. It's really going to be out of money. He was thinking about how to get some money back. It's good to fool the eyes first, but this is not a dozen taels, but a hundred thousand taels. I really can't help it.

"What's wrong. If you have something to say, what kind of dumb person you are. From this ** Internal Affairs Office, you have to think of a way to squeeze it out. It's hard for everyone, but let's find a way to solve it. ”

"Your Majesty, you can't touch the money of the Internal Affairs Office anymore." Kou Liancai knelt down with a crying voice as he spoke: "Except for the Queen Mother, all the personnel who can be laid off have been laid off, and all the places that can be done without spending money have been suspended." Even the semi-annual palace renovation has stopped, and many palace buildings are vacant. If the emperor moves the money of the Internal Affairs Office again, the Inner Palace will be in chaos. The minions in this inner palace really have no choice. ”

"That's it, Xiao Kouzi, after you return to the palace, you sort out the items in the **, take some unimportant ones and sell them. Find a way to get this money out first. Guangxu sighed deeply, Cining Palace uses 40,000 taels a day, which is 1.2 million taels a month. It's enough to support two Beiyang fleets. Guangxu didn't dare to cut the old lady's degree.

In Cining Palace, Guangxu was reporting the results of this outing to Cixi.

"Dear father, do you see how good this photo of Erchen is?" Guangxu took out the number of "Business Times", pointed to his photo and said, "This young man is still very handsome." ”

Guangxu is not in the palace, and everything that happened in the palace will be known as soon as he returns to the palace. So after changing his clothes, he hurriedly went to Cining Palace to report.

Ci Ning smiled: "I've already read this newspaper for a long time, it's not bad." ”

"I already have it in the capital, but I don't think I have it, and I still want to show off my father. Not really. ”

Guangxu picked out what he saw and heard on the way. After chatting for a while, Cixi sent Guangxu away on the grounds that the emperor was not in the court and that he had to go back to deal with it earlier.

Regarding Cixi's Taidu, Guangxu is not clear. On the way back to the imperial study, Guangxu was still wondering why the Queen Mother was not very happy today, but he brought a lot of snacks from all over the world back. I didn't even look at it. This morning, I also discussed the railway with the military planes, and I didn't even mention it to myself. However, it was not until I saw Zhan Tianyou and Tang Shaoyi in the imperial study that I understood. It turned out that the old lady felt that in foreign affairs, the performance of various countries did not reflect the important role of the queen mother in this country, and she was a little angry.

In the minister's opinion, the solution of the United States and Germany is already feasible. Technically, the conditions for laying are already in place. In addition, the British plan is being discussed, and it is believed that the results will be available soon. In addition, Britain proposed to build a direct railway between Beijing and Shanghai, and also put forward a plan, asking the emperor to judge. This is what Zhan Tianyou said.

"The United States and Germany have repeatedly asked when the railroad will be laid. According to the previous proposal, the undertaking country will contribute funds and technology, and China will contribute manpower. At present, the minister is unable to provide sufficient manpower, and the delay is not enough. However, both the United States and Germany hope to confirm the location of the plant as soon as possible. In addition, the American minister Tian Bei went to meet the emperor, but I don't know if he has seen it. Also, Britain did not want to see the Qing Dynasty lease Xiamen to Germany. They could also give up the right to mine the minerals for 10 miles of the railroad extension and switch to co-mining with the Qing Dynasty. For this reason, the minister informed the German side that the matter of Xiamen was not feasible because of the British protests. Germany offered to lease Jiaozhou Bay, but it was rejected on the grounds that it was too close to the Beiyang Naval Division. Germany proposed another one: Lianyungang. Please ask the emperor to judge. In addition, the equipment of the German-aided arsenal has been prepared for loading in Germany. With regard to the appointment of German [***] officers in the Qing Dynasty, Germany has confirmed that the active officers, Major General Michael, and two colonels will live with these equipment. Just listening to Tang Shaoyi's words, I knew that this time was very busy.

"Ready to be loaded and not already loaded. It seems that Germany will not ship without leasing a base. I have agreed to the German side about the lease of Lianyungang, and you will discuss the terms of the lease with the German side. Let's just say that because my new army is about to be established, I hope that the officers sent by Germany can go on the road in advance. The American minister looked for me, and I knew. But I haven't seen it. As planned, the construction of the railway will be delayed until early next year. You can let them build the factory first. As for the location of the factory, let's make a decision after Ming Yuezhen and Ouyang Zhenhua and others discussed. ”

The location of the factory was to be negotiated with the military director, and it seems that this would be related to some future military operations. I'd better not ask more. Tang Shaoyi thought about it but didn't ask.

Our American Minister, Mr. Tian Bei, is the most depressed of all. The day after Guangxu left Beijing, he also went to Tianjin. The pressure of domestic capital required him to confirm the news of the Qing Dynasty as soon as possible. After the Qing emperor issued the railway plan, he has been delaying it for various reasons. Of course, judging from the situation of the Qing State, the efficiency of the Qing State political axe is indeed so. From his understanding of the Qing State, these things must be approved by the Empress Dowager of the Qing State before they can be implemented. So he wanted to sign the agreement when the Qing Emperor went out to inspect.

Unexpectedly, after he arrived in Tianjin, Guangxu went to Weihai. When he got the news and arrived, Guangxu returned to Tianjin. rushed back, but Guangxu went to Shanghai. Okay, I'll go to Shanghai to find an OK. Seeing the Mantian outside, when he arrived at the "Business Times" pavilion, Guangxu left. Where it went, no one knows. When he found out, he went back to Tianjin. Finally exhausted and returned to the capital. Nothing was accomplished. You know, he went with the agreement, and he was waiting to sign it. He believes that there is no reason to disagree with such generous terms. But I didn't see anyone.

And when Guangxu was implementing his ideas step by step, a heavy rain disrupted his deployment.

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