Li Hongzhang urgently recruited Wang Chenhao to return to Tianjin because of an invitation letter from Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Nicholas II decided to hold a coronation ceremony on May 18, 1896, officially crowning the Russian Tsar, and invited Li Hongzhang and Wang Chenhao to attend by name.

"It's normal for Nikolai to be coronated and invite Lord Nakado to go, why did you call me too?"

Wang Chenhao raised his doubts, he did not think that he had a friendship with Nicholas II, and there was no reason to call him for this coronation. Li Hongzhang was different, before Nicholas II ascended the throne, Nicholas as crown prince traveled around the world in 1891 and was the only Russian tsar to visit China. At that time, Li Hongzhang was in charge of receiving Nikolai, because the two of them met, and it is understandable that Nikolai invited him to go.

Yang Shixiang smiled faintly and said, "This is obviously premeditated!" ”

Wang Chenhao was puzzled and turned his head to look at Zhang Peilun on the other side.

Zhang Peilun then said to Wang Chenhao: "I asked the embassy in Russia, and they said that at first Nikolai only invited Lord Zhongtang, but for some reason your name was suddenly added a few days later. It is reported that the emperor once issued an edict to the minister in Russia, but the content of it is unknown. ”

Wang Chenhao secretly said that the expressions of the two of you obviously guessed it, but if you don't say it, you have to let him guess it yourself. However, as soon as Yang Shixiang mentioned Guangxu, Wang Chenhao had a plan in his heart.

"If you go to Russia, the journey back and forth is probably very long."

"** months, delay it even takes a year."

"In other words, once Lord Zhongtang leaves Tianjin for St. Petersburg, then the positions of Governor of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang Trade will have to be temporarily replaced by someone else?"

"That's right."

"If I go to St. Petersburg, the Minister of Military Training will have to be replaced by someone else?"

"Yes."

Wang Chenhao was silent, and Zhang Peilun was silent, this was obviously a conspiracy trap.

Yang Shixiang saw that the two were silent, so he said: "Obviously, the Russian side called Chen Hao in the past to interrupt or delay the training of the Beiyang New Army, so that the threat to the Russian Army in the Far East would be reduced. And the emperor just wanted to see this, and he would arrange for someone else to manage the Zhili and Beiyang Army on his behalf. ”

Wang Chenhao smiled bitterly in his heart, he really never forgot to seize power. "Is there any way to do it?" ”

Yang Shixiang said: "The holy decree has been issued, and it is difficult to change it, unless you say that you are sick, but you can only be alone." If two people call illness at the same time, it is equivalent to shouting at the emperor, and the result will definitely not be good. ”

Wang Chenhao suddenly smiled and said: "Anyway, Lord Zhongtang knows Nikolai, and it's not bad to go to St. Petersburg for two days." ”

Zhang Peilun shook his head and said, "Chen Hao, have you thought about it?" As soon as Lord Zhongtang leaves, the emperor will send someone to act as an agent, Chen Hao, you will be controlled everywhere, without the protection of Lord Zhongtang, the emperor will definitely have an excuse to transfer you out in less than three months. ”

Yang Shixiang nodded and said, "That's the truth." On the other hand, if Lord Zhongtang stays and Chen Hao goes to Russia, then the Beiyang Army will not easily let the emperor take it. ”

Wang Chenhao looked at the posture of the two of them, smiled bitterly, and said, "It seems that I can only go!" ”

Zhang Peilun said with a smile: "You have been training in the military camp for more than eight months, and your body is much stronger than before. However, Lord Zhongtang is old, and he has been in poor health recently, so he said that he was sick and even the emperor ignored him. ”

Wang Chenhao knew that he had no choice this time, between Guangxu and Li Hongzhang, he could only trust Li Hongzhang, and could only hope that the Beiyang Army, which he had worked so hard to train, would not change his surname from now on.

"In that case, when am I leaving?"

Zhang Peilun and Yang Shixiang naturally understood Wang Chenhao's thoughts, and they came here to persuade him to reassure him.

Seeing that Wang Chenhao agreed, Yang Shixiang said: "The coronation of the Tsar is on May 18, and it will take many months to go to St. Petersburg, and there may be some delays on the way. ”

Zhang Peilun patted Wang Chenhao on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Lord Zhongtang is not going, Chenhao, you are the envoy to Russia on behalf of the emperor and the queen mother, I think the imperial court will soon give you a promotion, how can you have a first-class officer." ”

Yang Shixiang agreed: "Then congratulations in advance!" ”

Wang Chenhao just smiled bitterly: "Then I think the emperor should be distressed!" ”

After that, the three of them looked at each other and laughed a few times, and they all understood the meaning.

The next day, Li Hongzhang was bedridden, saying that he was too ill to go to Russia. In this way, Wang Chenhao is left alone. Originally, Wang Chenhao was accompanied as a deputy envoy, and his second-rank official rank was enough. But Li Hongzhang said that he was sick and could not go, and Wang Chenhao became the only person named by the Russian Emperor Nicholas II to be seen. Considering the majesty of the national body, Guangxu finally had to raise Wang Chenhao's official title to the first rank, and finally gave him a third-class viscount and cloud cavalry captain, ranking among the ranks of the first-class officers.

In the imperial study, Guangxu stared at Weng Tongyi with an unkind face.

"It's all your idea, now that Li Hongzhang can't get sick, Wang Chenhao has picked up a first-class official title for nothing."

Weng Tongyi lowered his head, frowned, and was very unhappy in his heart. Secret discussion: Why did you blame me when it was your idea? It's really unreasonable.

Thinking about it, Weng Tonggong didn't dare to say anything. Originally, Nicholas II invited Li Hongzhang to St. Petersburg, but Guangxu thought that as soon as Li Hongzhang left, the governor of Zhili could be replaced by another person. It's just that Guangxu was happy, and suddenly an idea popped up, if Wang Chenhao was added to the list, Li Hongzhang and Wang Chenhao could leave Zhili at the same time, which would be extremely beneficial to controlling the military and political power of Zhili.

Weng Tongyi only complimented Guangxu at that time, but did not agree. It's just that Guangxu was anxious, afraid that Wang Chenhao wouldn't be able to shirk it, so he sent a secret telegram to Xu Jingcheng, the minister in Russia, ordering him to find a way to let the Russian side invite Wang Chenhao over.

Xu Jingcheng then mentioned in his conversation with the Russian Foreign Minister that Wang Chenhao also wanted to come to Russia to watch the coronation, and the Russian side also felt the need to talk to Wang Chenhao face-to-face to find out the bottom of the imperial army's armament, so the two sides hit it off, and Tsar Nicholas II added Wang Chenhao's name to the invitation.

Originally, Guangxu's plan could be described as thorough, so that Li Hongzhang and Wang Chenhao had no reason to refuse. But I didn't think that Li Hongzhang would lie halfway and say that he couldn't get sick, Li Hongzhang was old and in poor health, it was obvious to all, he said that he couldn't even help Cixi if he was sick, let alone Guangxu. As a result, Li Hongzhang said that he was ill, and Guangxu could not replace the governor of Zhili, and the plan to seize the Beiyang Army became difficult.

Guangxu lost a lot because of a small loss, so he was so angry.

After a long time, Guangxu saw that Weng Tonggong was silent, and said dissatisfiedly: "You have something to say?" ”

Weng Tongyi then said: "Emperor Qiqi, although Li Hongzhang stayed, but as soon as Wang Chenhao left, this military training minister cannot be vacant, no matter whether it is the emperor's person or Li Hongzhang's person to serve in the end, as long as we don't get involved with Li Hongzhang, we will always have a chance to win over." ”

At this point, Guangxu regretted that it was too late, so he asked, "Who do you think is suitable?" ”

Weng Tongyi thought for a while and said, "After Wang Chenhao leaves, Tie Liang can be appointed as the Minister of Military Training. ”