Cixi thought about waiting for the first day of the first lunar month, and let the eldest brother Pu Jun sacrifice heaven and earth on behalf of the emperor. In that case, after the Royal Army is disbanded, after some operation, the eldest brother can be put on the throne next year. At that time, the world can be firmly in their own hands. But the reality is that there are constant troubles. The first person to jump out to find trouble was not the Northeast, not Jiangnan, or Guangxu. Rather, a vote of merchants.

The two Royal New Year dinners that have been held have always been highly praised by Chinese and foreign businessmen. For these merchants, the dinner was the best way for Chinese and foreign businessmen to talk face-to-face and gain immediate support from the Qing government. It is the best place for Chinese businessmen to display domestic products and imported technology, and it is also the best front line for foreign businessmen to enter the Chinese market. It's just a ticket of one million taels of silver, which is nothing. In addition to the Lin family in the first session, the second one made a profit of less than one million taels. Therefore, when the list of the royal New Year's dinner was confirmed two months ago, the scene was chaotic, but the emperor used the royal guards to maintain the scene. The emperor still only confirmed the limit of 26 participants, so that the threshold of Wu Rongguang, the president of the Royal Chinese Academy of Sciences, who was responsible for inspecting the products and confirming the list, was broken. Among them, only 10 foreign merchants were given, so that the envoys of various countries came and went back and forth to the palace under pressure from their own countries, just to increase the number of places. And the Chinese businessmen also collectively moved Wu Rongguang to petition the emperor for only 16 domestic merchants, asking for a few more. Although in the end, due to the venue, it will not be increased this year, but the emperor promised to find a bigger place to arrange next year.

Just as Chinese and foreign businessmen were looking forward to attending the dinner again, and in order to sign more business agreements, the cannon sound of the Forbidden City rang out. The emperor left the palace and went to Zhongnanhai, and then the queen mother trained the government.

Chinese and foreign businessmen were shocked, can this New Year's dinner still be held normally? Can I get a refund for the one million taels of tickets I have already paid? But the news came that the New Year's dinner would continue. The businessmen are worried again, can the royal New Year's dinner hosted by the Queen Mother be the same as the emperor?

Think about it too much, and when the time comes, won't you understand when you go in and take a look? So, the evening of the thirtieth day of the Chinese New Year's Eve. Chinese and foreign businessmen and foreign ministers in China still entered the noon gate at the old time. They were relieved when they saw the display table outside the main hall that was still set up according to their original plan. It turns out that everything is business as usual, but the tables on both sides have always been arranged in the middle this year. In this way, where is there a place to talk freely?

That's right. Cixi didn't like a buffet reception. When he was in power, he naturally wanted to revive the prestige of the Qing Dynasty, where could he still tolerate these things of foreigners. Not only that, but the businessmen who had just visited the Queen Mother were about to freely search for their own business goals, but they were reprimanded by the Queen Mother. They could only sit in their own places and could not move around at will, watching from a distance as the back spoke expressionlessly.

But it ended in an hour that there was no emperor's boring dinner. The reason was that the ministers of various countries in China withdrew due to dissatisfaction, and the Queen Mother was also angry and simply announced the end. The merchants made a fuss about the Chinese New Year's Eve, and the Queen Mother was also angry in the palace. Guangxu bought 26 million taels of tickets and the money was gone, but the major merchants asked for refunds, especially foreigners.

The dinner party was attended anyway. Money is not returned. When Cixi was about to settle down and have a good New Year, those banner people who would not be suspended because of the Empress Dowager's training and government called out again.

Since the thirtieth day of the Chinese New Year's Eve last year, after Emperor Guangxu pressed the AC button under the ** city tower, the electric lights in the entire Beijing city have not stopped. It was only dark, and the light bulbs that weren't bright were shining. Light up the streets and alleys of the entire city of Beijing. But since the third day of the Queen Mother's training, this light bulb has not been lit. I thought it was to ensure that there were no problems in the New Year and overhaul the line, which happened to us half a year ago, but it was only two or three days, so I didn't care. But when the light is not on the night of the Chinese New Year's Eve, these flag men will have an opinion. Accustomed to the bright night, it suddenly turns black and whirring, which makes many people uncomfortable. It's not convenient to go out at night without lights. So they started to make a fuss, and then some officials also coaxed, why do they have electricity in the Forbidden City and the University Hall, but they don't?

"We want to ensure the electricity supply of the Forbidden City, Zhongnanhai, the Summer Palace, and the University Hall, but all of you have seen me with this coal. Not to mention the power supply of the whole city, and no more coal. Three days for five days at most, and the Forbidden City doesn't want to have electricity. The person in charge of the power station explained to Shidor: "What? I've already reported that I can't do anything if no one brings coal. ”

Now the Queen Mother is in love with this electric lamp, and she even said that this electric light has no smoke smell and is brighter. You can't let the Queen Mother light the candles again. Sedor began to take charge of buying coal himself, but he found out. None of the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty knew where the coal was bought. He remembered the Pacific Fleet, because the warships burned coal, so he planned to ask Wu Deren to quickly transport 2,000 tons to the capital for emergency.

But before his telegram could be written, Wu Deren's telegram came. What was written on the telegram was: Why did the Queen Mother promise to give three million taels only reach one and a half million taels, and half of them were deducted by which bastard.

Shi Duo looked at it, and if he didn't make up half of Wu Deren's money, he didn't want to think about asking for coal. But the other half couldn't make up for it, and it was Shiduo who deducted it himself to repair the garden for the Queen Mother. Of course, there are many doorways in this. Shi Duo sent an angry telegram back to Wu Deren, telling him that the half was to serve the Empress Dowager, which was customary. Can you get half of it or for the sake of the loyal queen mother, the original Beiyang Fleet can only get thirty percent.

Wu Deren did not send back the telegram, and when Shi Duo was discussing with the military planes where to buy coal, the Empress Dowager sent a decree to let all the military planes see the Cining Palace.

In the Cining Palace, Cixi coldly threw a telegram in front of Shi Duo. Shi Duo picked it up and scolded Wu Deren in his heart, Wu Deren did not reply to the telegram to Shi Duo, but sent it directly to the imperial study, and the telegram was clearly written for the Queen Mother.

The full text of the telegram was: Please ask the Empress Dowager to ask the ministers to return the 1.5 million taels of silver they embezzled to the Pacific Fleet, otherwise the Pacific Fleet will come to the capital to get it in person, and then it will be the Empress Dowager's 'Qingjun side'. Now that the fleet and tens of thousands of elite marines have been prepared, and if they don't see the silver for an hour, the Pacific Fleet will regard the Queen Mother as being deceived by the minister, and immediately send troops into Beijing to serve the Queen Mother. Until the queen mother clears the king's side, he will no longer accept any orders.

Shiduo regretted it, regretted not being at the beginning. Shi Duo hated it, hated Wu Deren to death.

"The mourning family is about to be unable to even sit still in this court, what kind of garden are they building." Cixi put down a cruel word and turned away.

There was no way for Shidor. The silver that has already arrived in the hands of the ministers is embarrassed to take it and can't get it back, the queen mother's garden can be slowed down but it can't be repaired, he can only allocate another 1.5 million taels out.

The coal had to find a way to buy it, and after Shi Duo allocated the money, he could only ask Wu Deren again. Unexpectedly, Wu Deren promised to come down and reached out to ask for money. The navy's coal is a quantity that cannot be given away for nothing, but it can be bought with money. Shi Duo smashed the cup again angrily, this Wu Deren is invulnerable, and he doesn't understand the rules of officialdom. There was no way, he had to win him over, so Shi Duo still obediently sent the money over. Finally, I bought the coal back before the power went out. The night in Beijing is lit up again.

But the things that worried Cixi were not over. The new governor of Liangjiang rushed to Liangjiang to take office in the year of the empress dowager, and sent back a telegram when he marched to Xuzhou: The royal army despised the imperial court, and not only sent a company commander to greet him, but also did not even give him a bowl of rice. He also warned him that the Liangjiang military exercise is now in full swing. Because there are no security personnel to be dispatched, I hope that the adults will wait in Xuzhou to wait for the end of the military exercise before taking up their posts. If the adults insist on going, it is not their sin if something happens on the way. However, with the heart of loyalty to the Queen Mother, Gangyi decided to move forward as usual on the second day. And then there is. No more news.

"Count the days, Fortitude should have been in Jiangning for a few days. Why didn't a single telegram come back? Cixi frowned deeply, the imperial court was still waiting for the tax money of the two rivers to live.

"The servant asked, Lord Yan hasn't seen Lord Gang yet. Maybe it's a delay. Shiduo said from the side. Suddenly, he thought about Li Hongzhang's words, and said in a panic: "Could it be that Premier Li expected it, and he just ...... on the way."

That's right, Gangyi was ambushed before he left Xuzhou. It's just that those who know don't say. Those who don't know can only guess.

Cixi, who had waited for several days and still had no news of fortitude, could no longer hold back, and finally on the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, she boarded a small boat and boarded the brightly lit and lively Yingtai on the island.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, there are lanterns to guess lantern riddles, which have been around for a long time. It's just that there is no material to make a lantern on the stage, so it is written on paper and hung up. Anyway, the Yingtai with the lights on was already bright.

In order to collect enough riddles, Guangxu ordered that everyone could provide riddles. A penny is awarded for any riddle provided and accepted. Guessing a riddle also rewards a penny. In order to prevent collusion for illegal gains, Guangxu even stipulated that the riddles that were not guessed in the end would be rewarded with another two cents. And guessing the most riddles will also be rewarded with an additional yuan, and the second most will be rewarded with five jiao. At the same time, for the sake of fairness, Kou Liancai does not participate in guessing riddles, but acts as a referee. At the same time, the guards guarding Yingtai that night were divided into three shifts. to ensure that everyone has enough time to participate.

And the reward money comes from the banknotes that will be issued in the Qing Dynasty. Issued at the equivalent of one gram of gold. Because of Guangxu's actions, the first appearance of the Qing Dynasty's national currency in the world was in such a game reward, and later generations gave Guangxu severe criticism of this.

When Cixi ascended the Yingtai, the Yingtai was already very lively. The guards gathered in twos and threes, either thinking sadly, or running away happily. Cixi's arrival frightened the guards guarding the island, and the guards panicked to greet the Queen Mother, and then followed the Queen Mother to the main building.

In front of the main building, Kou Liancai had already been surrounded by a group of guards, and even the few little eunuchs who helped were busy. I didn't know about the Empress Dowager Cixi who came behind me, and she was still shouting that this was my guess, not the anxious voice that the guy guessed. Otherwise, it's clear that this is the answer, why not give confirmation of the angry voice.

The guards accompanying Cixi struggled to open a passage through the crowd, but the surging crowd was not something that a few guards could stop. And Cixi, who was squeezed in the crowd, stood in embarrassment with her flag head, and the queen mother of the mourning family was not taken seriously? But in a blink of an eye, I saw the emperor wearing a dragon robe and happily squeezed out of the crowd with difficulty, and disappeared in an instant. Is there a distinction between master and servant, and is there any superiority and inferiority......

Someone finally recognized the Queen Mother, and the crowd partially dispersed, but this change was still a small part of the huge whole. Kou Liancai didn't notice that the Empress Dowager Cixi had already stood in front of him, and the loud words of the guards that the Empress Dowager had arrived were still small for the noisy sound.

"Don't you see busy?" Kou didn't even raise his head, picked up the whisk and knocked on the next table: "Get out, if you don't leave, our house will drive people out." ”

"Do you dare to tell the mourners to get out? You repeat? Cixi said angrily.

The different voices were still murderous, and finally attracted everyone's attention and quieted down. Kou Liancai looked up and was startled. Hurriedly knelt down: "The slave told you to get out, not to tell him to get out." As soon as the words came out, he realized that he had said something wrong, and hurriedly changed his words and said: "No, no, the minion means to tell him to stay and let you go." Kou Liancai was stunned, he still said something wrong. So he knelt on the ground: "The slave asks the Queen Mother to give sin." ”

"You are the emperor's servants. The mourners dare not give you sin. What about the emperor? ”

What about the emperor? It was still there just now, but now it is carried but it is no longer visible. "What are you doing standing, go to the emperor." After speaking, Kou Liancai invited the Queen Mother into the main building.

The heating in the main building was very hot, and after a while, Cixi in winter clothes was sweating. It's been a while since the emperor came, but Cixi couldn't stand the heat, so she asked Kou Liancai to wait for her to change her clothes.

The emperor finally returned, and the first thing the emperor did when he entered the door was not to salute Cixi, but to take off his coat and hang it on the shelf next to the door.

"Yo, it's my aunt here." Guangxu walked straight over and sat opposite Cixi. Reaching out and picking up the teapot on the table, he poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

Cixi took a deep breath for a long time before she could barely suppress the anger in her heart, and said lightly: "The emperor has good means, the mourning family put the emperor under house arrest here and cut off this bridge." is to prevent the emperor from going out. Unthinkable, the emperor is still in power like this. ”

"You all know that I can't get out alone, and how can I rule the world. This joke of the Queen Mother is not funny. ”

Cixi was silent for a long time before speaking: "Your Eniang is sick, and there is no medicine for the stone." ”

After hearing this, Guangxu stepped aside, wrote a note and handed it to Cixi: "Help bring me Eniang." ”

Cixi picked it up and looked at it, and it said: You don't plan to hold your grandson? After reading it, Cixi smiled: "With this child, your mother's illness will be cured?" Isn't the emperor going to see it? ”

"No, I don't. Heart disease also requires heart medicine. That's enough. ”

"I didn't expect the emperor to think about having a son."

"There are three unfilial pieties. No queen is greater. ”

"Which woman does the emperor fancy and told the mourning family. The mourning family asked people to bring her here. ”

"No, I don't. I carried her into the palace in a dignified manner. ”

Cixi was silent again, but the emperor was-for-tat with her in his words, without the slightest intention of compromise. Didn't the emperor see that it was a compromise for the mourning family to come here, or the emperor was full of confidence and compromised with the mourning family.

Cixi let out a long sigh: "Your Majesty." The mourning family is already old, and how many days do they have left. After a hundred years of mourning, the court in this world is not all emperors. Why can't the emperor wait a few more days to sit in this dragon court in such a hurry? ”

"How long are you going to keep me waiting, in case your old man lives to be a hundred years old? Forty years to wait? No problem, it's only forty years, I'll wait for it. But this country and the Chinese nation cannot afford to wait. ”

"What's the point of waiting another forty years? Could it be that the Qing Dynasty will fall apart? ”

"You're right. Therefore, I can't wait, I want to rule the world, and I want to be arbitrary. Guangxu stopped Cixi from speaking: "What your eyes can see is only within the walls of this palace." You can't see that this beautiful Huaxia has long been covered with bruises, and you can't see that this world has risen again. You're old, and the world isn't your world anymore. ”

Cixi left, taking Guangxu's note with her. Before Cihui's bed, Cixi handed the note to Cihui: "My sister still has to take care of her body, and the emperor is still waiting for you to bring him a son." After speaking, Cixi seemed to be talking to herself: "Did you say that my sister was really wrong about this training?" Wouldn't it be better to let the emperor preside over the government? It's just that now, my sister can only be wrong. Cixi stood up and walked out: "When my sister is well, let's go see the emperor." ”