"There is a shop with a very good business, and in previous years, at least two months' salary will be added as a bonus at the end of each year, and sometimes it will be paid more. But not this time, this year's business is not good, and the surplus has fallen sharply. Now that the Chinese New Year is coming soon, no matter how you calculate it, you can only pay an extra month's salary as a bonus. As is customary, to tell you the truth, morale is likely to slip. The boss had an idea, and within two days, the shop spread the gossip - "due to poor business, some people will be fired at the end of the year."

When the news came, people were panicked, and everyone was speculating whether they would be expelled from their heads. However, the shopkeeper announced: "No matter how hard it is, the shop is never willing to sacrifice colleagues who share weal and pain, but the bonus at the end of the year may not be able to be paid." The words of the big shopkeeper made the employees feel at ease, as long as they don't fire people, there will be no bonuses. Everyone has planned for a poor year. As a result, just as Chinese New Year's Eve was approaching, the boss suddenly announced: "There is a year-end bonus, a whole month's salary, immediately send it down, let everyone have a good year!" For a moment, the whole shop erupted in cheers. ”

"Your Majesty." After listening to Li Jurong's story about the emperor, Li Hongzhang couldn't help but be overjoyed: "Instead of causing the greatest disappointment because of the best expectations." It is better to plan for the worst and attract unexpected joy. It turned out that the flag man was planning to take the opportunity to put pressure on the university hall, but the emperor made a big fuss about the defeat of the flag man, and diverted the attention of the flag people under the pretext of canceling the flag salary. In this way, the affairs of the university hall can be gently put down. The emperor's move is clever. ”

"Father, let's take a look at the booklet written by the emperor first." Li Jurong handed over the booklet: "My daughter thinks that the matter in the meantime is still to be discussed. If the father needs to present the fold, the daughter can enter the palace again tomorrow. ”

Li Hongzhang frowned after reading the booklet. After putting the book in the brazier and burning it, he paced anxiously back and forth in the study with a sad face. He didn't expect it. Regarding the rumors that the imperial court was going to be overthrown in the university hall, the emperor did not want to immediately give these rebellions to the town law, but invited them to hold a debate, so that everyone could discuss whether it was better to overthrow the imperial court or not.

"The emperor still wants to discuss this matter of overthrowing the imperial court with the revolutionary party? This...... This...... Is this what an emperor should do? Li Hongzhang, who had been thinking about it for a long time but couldn't find a way, could only sit back in the chair helplessly. Then he said earnestly: "Although the rumors are like a flood of beasts, the emperor's move is too risky. Even if this move can be done, it will only solve the urgent need, not to mention that it will be even more difficult to block it once the people's wisdom is opened. If it doesn't work, the spark will immediately become a prairie fire. This is absolutely unacceptable, never. ”

"My daughter thought it might as well be as the emperor said. Let everyone discuss and think about it, as long as we can say that they are speechless, the court can gather more people's hearts. ”

"No, it's still too dangerous. In the old man's opinion, it is to make an example of these people. Let everyone in the world know the consequences of joining this revolutionary party. Don't think so. ”

"It must not be difficult to wipe out the revolutionary party in the capital, but then there will be people who will sympathize with the revolutionary party, and they will have an opportunity to take advantage of it. Now that the Southern Revolutionary Party has become a climate, they will certainly use the fact that Beijing is suppressing the Revolutionary Party to make a big publicity, and they will win over more people. Father. People's hearts can be sparse and cannot be blocked. ”

"What if we don't speak of the revolutionary party?"

"There is no case, so the emperor asked the little girl to consult the prime minister. And didn't the emperor still have the largest newspaper of the Qing Dynasty in Shanghai? In my daughter's opinion, it's better to do both of them......"

Li Jurong said that it is true that China's deep-rooted concept of monarchy is currently under attack from the West, especially the United States. Although it is not felt for the vast majority of illiterate people, it has a significant impact among young people. Especially the early years of studying in the United States. They grew up in the United States in a free-thinking environment, and this idea was inevitably passed on to young people when they returned home. The vast majority of these children studying in the United States come from the economically prosperous south, and foreign trade inevitably imports ideas while importing goods. As a result, the ideas of southern China began to tend to the democratization of the West. Fortunately, the Qing Dynasty won a comprehensive victory in the First Sino-Japanese War, which also strengthened the confidence of most wavering people to believe that the imperial court. But the idea of democracy has inevitably appeared in China, and it is impossible to completely eradicate it. However, most of the people who were worried about the country still reported the idea of loyalty to the monarch and wanted to improve the political and social status quo by peaceful means. Therefore, if you want to compete with the revolutionary party for the hearts and minds of the people, propaganda is the most important thing. In addition to holding the initiative of the imperial court, Guangxu also has the largest non-governmental propaganda organization in the Qing Dynasty - "Shi Wu Bao". And Sun Jianai, who is known as the great enjoyment of the Qing Dynasty newspaper industry, set off immediately after receiving the Guangxu telegram. At the moment, people are planning in Guangzhou.

Li Hongzhang sighed when he watched his daughter leave the study, and said in his heart: "Chrysanthemum, you don't understand the emperor's thoughts. The emperor really wants to cancel the flag salary. Early the next morning, Li Hongzhang took the opportunity to send his daughter back to the school and had a secret meeting with Rong Hong, the president of the University Hall, and others for a while. In the end, it was decided to act according to the emperor's will.

"Brother Lu. Can't go. In a dark room in Beijing, a group of young people persuaded Lu Haodong, who was the leader. They didn't expect that the lackeys of the court found them and did not arrest them, but invited them to the university hall and debated in front of the students. The first thought in the minds of these people was that there was a conspiracy in the imperial court.

"No matter what conspiracy the court has, I will go. I didn't expect the Qing court to dare to let us give a speech, which is tantamount to self-destruction, so why don't we help push him. Lu Haodong stopped everyone's discussion: "As long as we can let more students join the revolutionary ranks, all the sacrifices will be worth it." But there is no need for you to make fearless sacrifices, just in case you all leave the capital tonight, it will be enough for me to go alone tomorrow. ”

"The emperor has arrived—"

Guangxu, who had not been in the court for five consecutive days, called a big start, and hundreds of civil and military officials gathered in the hall. After some etiquette, Shi Duo came out of the class and played: "The minister has something important to play." ”

"Don't say it yet, I'll ask you first. I didn't go to court for five days, how did you do with the suspension of the flag and salary? ”

"Your Majesty. Don't stop the flag and pay-" Shiduo immediately knelt down: "It's a matter of the safety of the National Air Force, please think twice-"

"Relying on such people to protect the family and defend the country is the greatest danger to the society!" Guangxu Long was stunned: "Drag it down and fight, I will see who else dares to second." ”

The emperor even had to beat the prince, and he really suppressed all the officials. The prince has hit. That's what is the point of killing these petty officials? The guards outside the palace gate had just walked in, and Li Hongzhang stood up: "The emperor is slow, even if the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty dare not, there are still micro-ministers seconding the proposal." ”

"Heh, there are really people who are not afraid of death. Well, now that the prime minister has come forward. Don't say I won't give it a chance. Guangxu stared at Li Hongzhang viciously: "If you can't convince me, I will fight you together." If you kill it, don't complain about it. ”

"The king wants the minister to die, but the minister does not dare not die. It's just that before the minister's death, he asked the emperor to listen to Weichen. Li Hongzhang was looking at Guangxu, and said without being arrogant or humble: "The emperor wants to stop the flag salary, but it is because the Manchus were defeated by the Han people. The students of the university hall also have to participate in paramilitary training in the academy, but the bannermen have never received similar training, how can they be undefeated. But did the emperor ever think that when Taizu was full of soldiers, it was precisely because of the bravery of the banner people that he finally had the thousands of miles of the Qing Dynasty. The current flag people have long ceased to perform, if the emperor can gather the flag people to perform again. The current situation may not be either. ”

"I want to stop the flag salary, what does it have to do with it?"

"The reason why the flag salary is issued is because the flag man should have served in the army and did not produce anything, and the emperor now saw that the flag man had no merit and canceled the flag salary. But the emperor doesn't see it, and now the flag people have no other ability to make a living, if the flag is stopped, how do the flag people live, and the micro ministers are afraid of making a living. The one who pays the flag is called the flag salary. It is because it is only given to those who are in the flag, and those who are in the flag are also those who are in the army. Therefore, flag pay is also a type of military salary. If the Eight Banners are re-exercised into an army according to the ancestral system, the emperor will never stop paying military salaries. ”

Li Hongzhang's words can be said to be to the point, which attracted the voices of all the courtiers. Guangxu sneered: "Just rely on these banner masters to defend the Qing Dynasty?" You think too highly of them. ”

"Your Majesty, Weichen thinks otherwise." It's Li Hongzhang again, the boss of Guangxu's eyes, but Li Hongzhang continued as if he hadn't seen it: "The bravery of the emperor's new army soldiers can defeat Japan at the first day of the noon, all of which are training. But in between, the officers and men of the new army were just ordinary peasants. Therefore, Weichen thought that if he could train the bannermen with the method of the new army. Its credit is not under the new army. ”

"Oh, I can really say that. What do you think, Priest? ”

"Weichen thought that what the Prime Minister said was very true, and asked the emperor for permission."

"The new army of mine began to show its power only three months after its establishment, and at that time it was the Prince of Li himself who went to inspect it. How many months does the prince think the new army of the banner people will be completed? Is it three years, five years, or a hundred years? ”

As long as you can keep paying. It's easy to say anything. Hearing that the emperor's tone was relaxed, Shi Duo immediately agreed: "March, it only needs to be ...... March."

"I'm ready, it's March." Guangxu took the mouth and said, "I will personally review it when I arrive." If it doesn't work, you don't want to be the prince. Retreat. ”

Guangxu didn't even give the ministers a chance to reply, and they turned around and left, and the ministers could only say goodbye. Shi Duo only reacted at this time, and regretted it in his heart......

Out of the Heart Cultivation Palace, Shi Duo hurriedly followed Li Hongzhang: "Shaoquan walks slowly, how can this flag person train in March." Please save me, Prime Minister. ”

"My lord, if you ask the emperor for a few more words and you can limit your time, who asked you to agree so quickly. I'm afraid the old man can't do anything about it. ”

"But the emperor ...... there"

Li Hongzhang pondered for a while and said: "It's better than this, as long as the strong flag man is strong, the prince doesn't have to care whether this is pulled in with the flag." The old man will personally select the most elite instructors from the new army and you, only then there is still a chance. If it still doesn't work out in March, then the old man will go with you to ask the emperor, and I believe that there will be some more time. That's all the old man can do, and everything depends on you, the prince—"

The questions and answers outside the hall will naturally be transmitted back to Guangxu's ears, and Guangxu is not worried about the affairs of this banner person. His mind had long since turned to the hall of Beijing Normal University, where there was a fierce debate, and it could be said that success or failure was related to the future of Guangxu and the future of the country. And Li Hongzhang was also worried, after the next court, he did not return to the military aircraft department to be on duty, but went to the Beijing Normal University Hall.