The experience of the young eunuch is just a microcosm of the eunuch ecosystem in the late Qing Dynasty. In fact, since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, due to absorbing the experience and lessons of the Ming Dynasty, the control of eunuchs has been very strict.
Throughout the more than two hundred years of the Qing Dynasty, all the truly famous eunuchs in history appeared in the late Qing Dynasty. The various chaos in the eunuch circle in the late Qing Dynasty actually proved from the side that the empire was old, so old that even the center of the empire The heart has been infected with bad habits. When an empire cannot even restrain the eunuchs around the emperor, you can imagine how dark the officialdom environment will be in the remote areas far away from the capital.
In the late Qing Dynasty, no matter you were a first- or second-rank official or a Manchu noble prince, who had never given gifts to eunuchs? When Li Hongzhang controlled the most powerful people in Beiyang, he would prepare hundreds of thousands of taels of silver for bribes every year when he returned to Beijing to report on his duties.
The governors of each province have their own bureaus. To put it bluntly, they are the governors' private treasury. They set up offices in the capital, and the amount of money they bring into the capital every year is more than tens of millions.
Doesn’t the court want to take care of it? To be honest, Cixi and others really don't want to care about this kind of thing. The official culture of the late Qing Dynasty has long been abnormal. Those big figures in the officialdom are greedy and use greedy subordinates. They believe that only greedy people are easy to control. Only corrupt people can be of the same mind as the Qing Dynasty.
If you were not greedy for money and made yourself look like a saint every day, what would you want to do? Are you trying to gain reputation and prepare to rebel? Do you want to learn from Wang Mang or Zhao Kuangyin?
When a dynasty reaches a point where they dare not use upright officials, they have actually put a noose around their necks, and death is just a matter of time.
In fact, Xiao Letian had a very insightful summary of the corruption in the Manchu officialdom in private: "The so-called corruption in the officialdom is actually just wastes who want to use greed to lead more wastes! Because many wastes are occupying the seats and occupying the seats. He knows his own abilities very well, he doesn’t know how to do big things or how to govern a party, and then he wants to make money and gain power..."
"What should we do if we have this **? Then just use villains openly. Such officials actually hope that their subordinates will be greedy together, so as to show that they are in the same group..."
In the late Qing Dynasty, Cixi was a typical representative of this kind of thinking. The old lady's so-called good at balancing the government was actually just good at using corrupt officials. Instead, she had to guard against using people who were really capable, or even not use them.
An old Manchu lady who doesn't understand natural science, doesn't even know what the earth looks like, let alone the international situation and how to industrialize. Even if she wants to govern the Qing Dynasty, she won't be able to, because her strength is there. Still sitting.
Yehenala knew her own level very well. She knew that she could not save the Qing Dynasty, but she would not give up her power to someone with the ability. then what should we do? Then just use corrupt officials and trash, and you can only hang around for a day. As long as you close your eyes, the Qing Dynasty is still hers. Who cares about what happens after death...
However, everything has exceptions. Now the information that her son was in danger was actually blocked by the damn little eunuch and almost didn't reach her. If she could tolerate such a thing, she would no longer be the famous Queen Mother of the West.
Sitting in Dongnuan Pavilion, Cixi could not hear the screams of the eunuchs outside, and she would not care about the life or death of a cheap slave. At this moment, her hands were shaking slightly, and she couldn't hold the secret electricity anymore.
"Damn it! Damn it! You little beast that got into trouble, are you going to kill your mother? How can you mess around with Xiao Letian? The Qing Dynasty is already so difficult, how dare you get involved in this muddy water? "
"What the hell did Xiao Letian feed you? How dare you join the war? Don't forget your identity. You are the emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Your every move represents the entire country..."
Cixi cursed in her heart. She was really embarrassed to negotiate with foreigners. On the one hand, she really didn't understand, and on the other hand, she was afraid. The war with foreigners in the past few years had already frightened Cixi. She was afraid of foreigners. She has more psychology than anyone else.
After a while, the two princes and the old man, as well as several military ministers on duty, rushed over. Among them, Yi happened to come across the corpse of the little eunuch being dragged out. He was shocked. He knew how the Queen Mother was feeling today. It's definitely not good, something big must have happened.
There was deathly silence in Dongnuan Pavilion, and the glass windows had been lowered. The wind and sand outside were getting louder and louder, and the windows were banging. Everyone in the room was earth-colored, and they were all dumbfounded when they saw the latest secret message.
"Let's discuss! Why are you all mute? Don't you usually talk a lot? Why are you all so weak now..." Cixi's cold voice sounded in Dongnuan Pavilion, making everyone tremble.
Everyone, look at me and I look at you. No one said anything. Finally, at the reminder of the old man, Li Hongzao, the Minister of Military Discipline on duty, cupped his hands and whispered, "Your Majesty, I am a little distracted because of this important matter. Please don't blame me! But! I always feel that Shen Baozhen’s secret message is really bizarre..."
"The first question is, why did the Russian fleet go to the mouth of the Minjiang River? Why did they take a long way around dangerous waters? Why didn't they choose the middle of the strait where the water is deep and flat?"
"Second, the secret message said that the Zhiyuan had hoisted the Ming Dynasty's golden dragon flag. Just because of this flag, the students at the Shipping School believed that His Majesty was on the ship. Are you a bit arbitrary? Could it be Xiao Letian's trick? ?”
"Thirdly, what happened to the new imperial army? Of course I know that His Majesty recruited 300 guards to train in Ryukyu, but the secret message said that more than 2,500 new imperial troops suddenly appeared on Yanshan and Gujiao Mountains! Where did this army come from? …”
"Does the Ministry of War have an approval document? Does the Ministry of Household Affairs have an allocation? We don't know exactly who is in charge of this army! I now doubt whether there is such an army..."
At this point, Li Hongzao sighed and said, "In the final analysis, Fujian is too far away from us. We can't just listen to Shen Baozhen's words. The Russians haven't reacted at all yet. We must be steady and understand the truth first!"
Li Hongzao's analysis was indeed satisfactory. Everyone present nodded and praised him for his maturity in seeking the country. Cixi was also a little tempted by these remarks. Maybe the situation was not as severe as imagined!
But at this moment, there was a rush of footsteps outside the Yangxin Hall, and then Ci'an's voice crashed in through both doors.
"No need to confirm again, the Ai family has already confirmed it! Shen Baozhen's secret message is not wrong at all. There is indeed trouble in Fujian, and it is a big mess..."
"I really don't know how you became an official. Now that the imperial telegraph is so convenient, why don't you ask Marshal Zeng in Jiangnan? After all, it is closer to Fujian. They must have more information than us!"
Note: The seventh layer of cake will be added.
