After Lin Daxin led the three fleets of the Northeast Navy to defeat the combined fleet of the United States and Italy, it not only caused a very big shock in the world, but also seemed to have a nine-magnitude earthquake in the Qing Dynasty.

You must know that Lin Daxin's victory was not over Japan, which was an Oriental barbarian, but a victory over the combined fleet of two Western powers.

In the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Empress Dowager Cixi summoned Emperor Guangxu, Prince Gong Yixin, and Li Hongzhang to the Xinuan Pavilion.

The Empress Dowager Cixi sat on the bed and said to the three people: "Lin Daxin, the governor of the four northeastern provinces, defeated the navies of the United States and Italy in Luzon, you all know, right?" ”

The Qing Dynasty has always called the Philippines Luzon.

Emperor Guangxu nodded and said: "Dear father, it has been spread all over the court, and Prince Gong and Li Aiqing also know about it!" ”

Prince Gong Yixin and Li Hongzhang nodded at the same time.

The Empress Dowager Cixi sighed and said, "I didn't expect that Lin Daxin's rebellious strength was getting stronger and stronger, and he was able to defeat the combined fleet of two Western powers, which is not the blessing of the imperial court!" ”

Emperor Guangxu said with some anger: "Lin Daxin's rebellious, without the guò court, he bought Luzon from Spain without authorization, and now he is good at war, it is simply lawless, and he treats the court as nothing, I really want to cut this fang with a thousand knives!" ”

When Li Hongzhang heard Emperor Guangxu's words, he couldn't help but shake his head secretly in his heart, you said that Lin Daxin was rebellious, why did he decide what he should do with the imperial court! Moreover, Lin Daxin controlled Luzon in his hands, which can be regarded as expanding the territory for the Qing Dynasty.

In the past 2 years, Li Hongzhang has been getting older and older. There are more and more physical problems, and the body bones are not as good as they were 2 years ago, and some things have been seen. Got it.

The development of the entire four northeastern provinces in the past two years has been seen by Li Hongzhang, and he has already understood in his heart that with the strength of Lin Daxin's four northeastern provinces, sooner or later he will replace the Qing Dynasty and enter the Forbidden City, which is already the trend of the times, and it is no longer something that he, a Qing pasteur, can stop.

Therefore, Li Hongzhang has secretly explained the core personnel of the Beiyang system. Try not to provoke Lin Daxin, and leave a way back for the Beiyang system, if there is really such a day. I believe that Lin Daxin will not embarrass these people in Beiyang for the sake of the face of the same Beiyang lineage.

Prince Gong Yixin said at this time: "The Queen Mother, the Emperor, Lin Daxin, after purchasing Luzon, asked for the excerpt of the Governor of Luzon. How will our court deal with it? ”

Empress Dowager Cixi frowned. looked at Guangxu and asked, "What does the emperor think?" ”

Emperor Guangxu thought for a while and said, "Dear father, I think it's still ...... I still agree with Lin Daxin's excerpt! Now the imperial court is still mainly to appease Lin Daxin. ”

Li Hongzhang didn't laugh out loud when he heard it, Emperor Guangxu, who was still indignant just now, wanted to eat Lin Daxin alive, and in a blink of an eye, a big turning point came, and he weakened in an instant in the face of Lin Daxin's tough requirements.

The Empress Dowager Cixi listened to Emperor Guangxu's words, nodded and asked Li Hongzhang, "What does Li Aiqing think?" ”

Li Hongzhang coughed first, and then said, "Queen Mother." The minister thinks that what the emperor said makes sense, and now Lin Daxin has just defeated the United States and Italy. Bingfeng is in its prime, our court still avoids its edge and agrees with Lin Daxin's excerpt! Even if he is appointed as the governor of Luzon, the court has nothing to lose! ”

The Empress Dowager Cixi nodded and said, "Then it's decided, and it is decreed that Lin Daxin will be crowned as the governor of Luzon!" ”

Later, Lin Daxin, who received the decree of the imperial court, changed the Philippines to Luzon Province of the Qing Dynasty, and he added a Luzon governor after the governors of the four northeastern provinces.

After setting Lin Daxin's governor of Luzon, the Empress Dowager Cixi then sighed and said: "The imperial court spent tens of millions of taels of silver to build a new army of 13 towns, but it is still not the opponent of Lin Daxin's Dingbei army, I don't know if Prince Gong and Li Aiqing have any way?" ”

After speaking, Cixi looked at the two important ministers of the Qing Dynasty.

Li Hongzhang saw Cixi's gaze, shook his head helplessly, and said bitterly: "Queen Mother, the old minister has no idea, according to the news of Nie Shicheng, the commander of the Beiyang Army, although the Dingbei Army still maintains 15 divisions, each division has been expanded to 35,000 people, which is more than the 2 towns of our imperial court New Army, and they are well-trained and well-armed, maybe our 3 or 4 towns of the new army are not the opponent of the 1 division of the Dingbei Army." ”

Prince Gong Yixin also smiled bitterly and said: "Moreover, Lin Daxin's Dingbei Army has also newly formed 20 garrison brigades of 100,000 people, and the weapons of these garrison brigades are the same as our new army, not to mention the main division of the Dingbei Army, and the new army of our imperial court is definitely not the opponent of the Dingbei Army." ”

The Empress Dowager Cixi frowned and said, "These mourners know it!" Is there any way for Prince Gong and Li Aiqing? ”

Prince Gong Yixin and Li Hongzhang shook their heads at the same time, and Emperor Guangxu was beside him and stopped.

Empress Dowager Cixi said: "Since the number of the new army is smaller than that of the Dingbei Army, then continue to expand the new army, and the weapons are not as sophisticated as the Dingbei Army, so continue to buy more advanced weapons from foreign countries!" Prince Gong and Li Aiqing, what do you say? ”

Prince Gong Yixin said helplessly: "Queen Mother, it takes a lot of silver to expand the new army and buy weapons, but now the imperial court has no silver!" is to raise the new army of the current 13 towns, and the finances of the imperial court are gritting their teeth and insisting. ”

Li Hongzhang also sighed and said: "Unless our imperial court adds dozens of new troops to the town, it will be possible to suppress Lin Daxin's Dingbei army." However, the new army in dozens of towns cost a huge amount of money, and it is simply not something that the current imperial court can afford financially. The imperial court has no silver, and continuing to train the new army can only be to look at the moon in the water. ”

As the actual ruler of this ancient empire, the Empress Dowager Cixi also had no way to solve the problem of silver, so she asked Prince Gong Yixin again: "Can you continue to borrow from those people in the West?" ”

Prince Gong Yixin said: "Two years ago, the new army has borrowed 8 million pounds from foreigners, which is converted into more than 40 million taels of silver, although it is repaid in installments, but with interest, the pressure on the court every month is already very great, if you borrow again, not to mention whether foreigners are willing or not." It's just that the high interest rate is too much for the imperial court to bear. ”

The Empress Dowager Cixi thought about it and said: "Now Lin Daxin is already a confidant of the imperial court, and it is imminent to strengthen the power of the imperial court, and the rest is not to be taken care of." Prince Gong, after you go back, ask the envoys of several countries in the Qing Dynasty if there is anyone willing to lend us the Qing Dynasty! ”

Prince Gong Yixin opened his mouth and wanted to oppose the continuation of borrowing from foreigners, but thinking that Lin Daxin's henchman had indeed made it difficult for the imperial court to sleep, he nodded reluctantly to Cixi.

The Empress Dowager Cixi continued: "The mourning family has been thinking about it for a long time, and the governors of the southern provinces have some silver in their hands, and the emperor, you have issued an order to several governors in the south, so that each province can raise its own money to train a new army in one town. Even if you can't train a new army in 1 town, you must at least train a new army in 1 association! ”

This method of the Empress Dowager Cixi is not a good idea to increase the strength of the new army, and it is worthy of the Empress Dowager Cixi, who ruled the Qing Dynasty for decades. Prince Gong, Yixin and Li Hongzhang both nodded convincingly.

Emperor Guangxu also quickly nodded and said, "Yes!" Dear father, I will give an edict to the governors of the south when I go back! ”

After that, Emperor Guangxu left Xinuan Pavilion and hurried back to the Heart Cultivation Hall where he lived.

At this time, there were 2 people in the Yangxin Hall waiting for Emperor Guangxu, who were the emperor Weng Tongyi and Yuan Shikai, the commander of the Dingwu Army.

Weng Tonggong saw Emperor Guangxu return to the Heart Cultivation Palace. immediately greeted him and asked nervously, "Your Majesty." What is the matter with the Queen Mother summoning you? Could it be that the old minister's transfer of the user's money was known to the Queen Mother? ”

Emperor Guangxu shook his head and said, "Teacher, don't worry, Cixi didn't find out that we had diverted the money from the user department!" Today is for Lin Daxin's business. ”

It turned out that in order to strengthen his power in the army, Emperor Guangxu colluded with Weng Tongyi to intercept a large amount of silver from the treasury and use it on the Dingwu army.

Weng Tongyi breathed a sigh of relief and put his heart in his stomach.

Emperor Guangxu comforted Weng Tongyi and said: "Teacher, don't worry, if Cixi finds out about our embezzlement of silver one day." I'll help the teacher. ”

Weng Tongyi hoped that there would never be that day, and then he asked suspiciously: "Your Majesty." What happened to Lin Daxin? ”

Emperor Guangxu sighed and said: "Lin Daxin has just won the United States and Italy again, and completely controlled Luzon in his hands, and the imperial court has decided to crown him as the governor of Luzon!" Cixi was also worried about Lin Daxin's rebellion, and decided to continue to borrow money from foreigners to expand the new army, and also asked me to give orders to several governors in the south to let each province in the south train a new army in one town, and at least one new army in Xie. ”

Yuan Shikai, who had just returned to Beijing from Henan, heard that the imperial court was going to train a new army again, and a light full of ambition suddenly appeared in his eyes, which was fleeting, and then said respectfully to Emperor Guangxu: "Your Majesty, I don't know how much the imperial court will expand the new army this time?" Is there a quota for our fixed army? ”

At present, 3 towns of the Dingwu Army are stationed in the area of Kuancheng in Zhili Province, 6 towns of Beiyang are stationed in the area of Tianjin and Tangshan in Zhili, 3 towns of the Wuwei Army are stationed in Beijing City, and 1 town is stationed in Funing City in Shanhaiguan to monitor the Dingbei Army in Shanhaiguan.

Emperor Guangxu shook his head and said: "These must wait for Prince Gong to borrow money from foreigners, and the imperial court can decide how many new troops to expand!" But Yuan Aiqing rest assured, I will not forget my Dingwu army! Yuan Aiqing, what is the situation of the Dingwu Army now? ”

Yuan Shikai continued to say respectfully: "Your Majesty, with the support of a large amount of silver, the minister has secretly doubled the three towns of the Dingwu Army, and now there are nearly 30,000 people in each town of the Dingwu Army, and our three towns are almost worth the six towns of Beiyang!" And the 3 towns are quite effective under the training of the ministers! ”

Emperor Guangxu was overjoyed when he heard it and said, "Not bad! Not bad! Yuan Aiqing is really a capable minister! Is it because Yuan Aiqing came back this time that there was not enough silver? ”

Yuan Shikai shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, the people you asked your ministers to arrange in the Northeast have sent back the news!" ”

When Emperor Guangxu heard this, his eyes lit up and he hurriedly asked, "The news has been sent back!" Did the purchase succeed? ”

Yuan Shikai nodded excitedly and said: "That person has already accepted a silver ticket of 500,000 taels of silver, and he is willing to abandon the darkness and vote for the light and be loyal to the emperor!" ”

Emperor Guangxu was suddenly uncontrollable with excitement, walked briskly in the Heart Cultivation Palace, and then waved his fist and said, "Okay! That's great! Yuan Aiqing, what is the next step? ”

Yuan Shikai said: "That person is currently planning an operation against Lin Daxin and some high-ranking military and political officials in the four northeastern provinces!" If it succeeds, the four northeastern provinces will be leaderless, and that person is likely to take over Lin Daxin's entire power! ”

Emperor Guangxu frowned and said, "Isn't he equivalent to replacing Lin Daxin?" If he succeeds, will he be loyal to me? ”

Yuan Shikai curled the corners of his mouth and said: "The silver given by the emperor to the minister, in addition to the expansion of the Dingwu army, the other silver is used in the northeast, and the minister has sent many of his capable generals to the northeast, if that person succeeds, the minister has his own way to make him obediently loyal to the emperor!" ”

Emperor Guangxu laughed happily and said, "Yuan Aiqing, well done!" I will not forget the credit of Jì Yuan Aiqing! ”

Yuan Shikai is actually very much looking forward to the entire four northeastern provinces falling into the hands of him Yuan Shikai, hoping that his shrewd goddaughter can firmly hold that person in her hands, and finally help herself take the four northeastern provinces into her arms.

After Emperor Guangxu, Prince Gong Yixin and Li Hongzhang left Xinuan Pavilion, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered someone to summon Wuwei Jun Yiketang A into the palace.

Yi Ke Tang Ah walked into the Xinuan Pavilion, knelt on the ground and said to Cixi: "The old minister Yi Ke Tang Ah knocks on the Queen Mother Lafayette!" ”

Cixi said, "Get up, Iktang Ah sit!" ”

After Iktang Ashie, he sat down on the chair of Cixi's lower head.

Cixi asked, "What is the situation of the Wuwei Army now?" ”

Iktanga said: "Queen Mother, the four towns of Wuwei Army have been secretly expanded according to the Queen Mother's intentions, and now there are nearly 30,000 people in each town, which is twice as large as before. ”

Cixi snorted coldly and said: "The emperor has grown up and knows about secretly expanding the power of his subordinates, he thinks that he and Weng Tongyi intercepted a large amount of silver from the treasury and secretly expanded the Dingwu Army, and the mourning family doesn't know!" Hmph - if it weren't for Lin Daxin's rebellion now, the mourning family would definitely clean up a group of villains around the emperor who sowed discord! ”

The Empress Dowager Cixi has always held the inner treasury of the imperial family, and the inner treasury of the Qing Dynasty is more than the silver of the treasury.

After a pause, Cixi asked Iktanga again, "How about you sending someone to investigate the situation of the Beiyang Army?" ”

Yi Ketanga said: "Queen Mother, Lord Li Hongzhang's six towns in Beiyang should have also been secretly expanded, and it is very likely that it is the same as the Wuwei Army and the Dingwu Army, secretly expanding the strength of each town by nearly doubling the strength. ”

The Empress Dowager Cixi sighed and didn't say anything more.

In the midst of the intrigue of the imperial magnates, the number of the Great Fresh Army has nearly doubled. (To be continued......)