Zeng Guoquan suddenly turned his head, only to see the smiling face of Prince Chun Yipei looking at him. He suppressed the panic in his heart and the Nine Commanders smiled and said, "Greetings to Prince Chun, why are you still up so late?"
Yi Pei quickly stretched out his hand to support Zeng Guoquan, "Aren't the Ninth Commanders asleep too? I'm so panicked, I really can't sleep... It's windy and rainy outside the hall, I don't know if Your Majesty can withstand it!"
The Ninth Commander smiled slightly, "As long as the government and the public support us wholeheartedly, it doesn't matter how bad the storm is... we still have to rely on people to make things happen!"
"That's, that's... I wonder if the agarwood that the Ninth Commander sent up just now has been lit? Long live you, can you sleep now?"
"Haha... Your Majesty, there is no need to test. I have nothing to hide from the people of the world. I just gave your Majesty five million to replenish the army. Your Majesty is so poor that you have to pay for the military training out of your own pocket. We, my ministers, have to worry about it!"
Unexpectedly, Zeng Guoquan was so candid. Yi Pei blushed a little. He was a knight-errant king and clasped his hands, "Ninth Commander is really refreshing. I have to make you a friend... Can you find time to have a drink in the next two days?"
"You must be sure, Wei Chen is waiting for the prince's post?"
"It's a deal!"
The two made an appointment at the wine shop and said goodbye. Jiu Shuai went back to rest, but Yi Pei refused to leave. He walked back and forth in the garden, as if to gather his courage.
The surrounding guards and imperial guards did not stop him, and allowed Prince Chun to grind in circles in the garden.
At this moment, Emperor Tongzhi was already resting on the bed with his eyes closed. Ermao walked in and whispered, "Your Majesty, Prince Chun has been walking around, circling back and forth in the garden..."
"Let him go on his way...no one should care about him, no one should pay attention to him!"
Just as he was talking, Manshun also walked in quickly with lowered eyebrows and eyes, "Long live the Lord, the Fifth Prince wants to see you!"
"Haha... I can't help but say it. Just as I was talking, he came... Please come in!"
Yi Pei bent over and walked in quickly. When he saw Emperor Tongzhi getting out of bed, he quickly took a few steps and said, "Your Majesty, please rest. Your Majesty, please rest against me... I'm sorry for disturbing you!"
"Show me your seat to your uncle, please stop saluting and sit down quickly..."
Yi Pei was sitting on the soft stool with a strange expression on his face. Er Mao waved his hand to make all the palace maids and eunuchs leave as soon as he saw it.
There were only two uncles and nephews left in the room. Yi Pei gritted his teeth and stamped his feet and said, "Your Majesty... If you believe in me as an uncle, please be patient and don't take charge too soon..."
"No, it's not that you won't be allowed to attend the pro-government ceremony. The key point is that even if you become pro-government, don't really think that you can pro-government..."
Yi Pei flushed anxiously and scratched his head. When he couldn't explain clearly, he simply stood up and took out a land deed from his arms. "Your Majesty, this is the manor that Emperor Daoguang and Emperor Xianfeng successively awarded to me. They are all in Shunyi..."
"You know that I have always been an idle prince with no real achievements. I have the title of general manager in the Ministry of Internal Affairs but my power has not been extended to that little bastard. I really don't have much money..."
"These manors add up to a small area of 300 hectares, which is enough for your majesty to build a military camp to house the imperial guards... Please accept your majesty's wishes!"
Zai Chun smiled, "What is your uncle doing? He asked me not to be in charge of the government, and at the same time he offered me land and manor... Don't I even have land to build a military camp?"
"No matter how many manors you have, how can they be more than the Imperial Manor? Uncle Emperor, if you have anything to say, just say it. The law will not spread to the ears tonight..."
"Come on...I won't hide it anymore. I really don't have much money and can't help Long Live, but you'd better accept this manor because this location is the most suitable for the Imperial Guards to camp..."
"The situation in the capital is very subtle at the moment. Marshal Zeng is appointed as the governor of Zhili. His troops have already arrived at Gaobeidian in Zhuozhou, while Yixin's new army is stationed in Xishan, that is, in the area of Shahe City and Bei'an River..."
"Where can the Royal Forest Army be placed at this time? It is most suitable to place it in Shunyi. The three armies will become a forging posture and can contain each other..."
"Your Majesty, although you have many palaces, you really don't have such a good location. You'd better accept this offer!"
Speaking of which, Yi Pei gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, let me be clear. The soldiers my sixth brother trained in Xishan were not 30,000 soldiers... they were a full 60,000 soldiers!"
Having said that, Zai Chun also sat up. He reached out to hold the emperor's uncle's hand and pulled him to sit on the edge of the bed. "Uncle Huang... can you tell me the truth? My nephew's heart will be ironed out." Posted!"
"I...I feel uncomfortable all the way..." Zai Chun's eyes suddenly turned red.
"I want to be in charge, and I want to build an iron army. What is the purpose? Let us revive the Qing Dynasty! Let us not be bullied by outsiders anymore..."
"What kind of world is this? The weak prey on the strong! Even France, the great power, was trampled to death by the emerging Prussia. Territories were ceded for compensation, and blood was shed for thousands of miles!"
"Even the capital was lost. The Kaiser's coronation ceremony was held in a French palace. Do you think this is bullying?"
"We in the Qing Dynasty cannot continue to be arrogant. If we continue to be so self-righteous, sooner or later we will end up with the country being destroyed!"
"You still want to eat the hard-core crops? By then, even if Wotou doesn't starve to death..."
"But how did the government and the public treat me? Uncle Emperor, please speak with conscience, how did they treat me? In the end, it was outsiders who really took action!"
"The bank shares that the head of state snatched from the Fuso people were used to train my troops. The Zeng brothers contributed money and help. Even Zeng Guofan, who was very ill and was about to die, still stood at the front for me!"
"Not to mention Zuo Zongtang and Hu Xueyan, they are so short of military pay in Xinjiang, yet they are scrimping on food and clothing to raise money for my imperial army!"
"Even the foreign devils lent me money...I didn't hide it from the emperor's uncle. The British did give me a large loan. Of course it was conditional. But even if the British had evil intentions, at least they really saw it. Money!”
"Chinese, Hanchen, foreigners... and businessmen who are all scolded by the courtiers, no matter what they think in their hearts, they at least make some appearances for me!"
"But what about our Aixinjueluo family? What about our Manchu Eight Banners? Apart from Fu Qing, who else has any sympathy for me?"
"Yi Pei, tell me, among the Eight Banners, who has given me a tael of silver so far? Tell me!"
Listening to the little emperor's low roar, Yi Pei couldn't sit still anymore. He turned over and knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, please calm down!"
"Get up... Uncle Emperor, get up. You can say these words today and come up with several manors... I finally feel the warmth of my family in my heart!"
"I don't understand... I'm doing this for the sake of the big guys in the end, okay? Isn't it for relatives like the Eight Banners? In the final analysis, it's not for our Aixinjueluo family?"
"But my Imperial Guards are eating rice with sand and sweet potatoes in Wuyi Mountain! The capital has never given them even a penny from the beginning to the end!"
"How chilling this makes me feel! How chilling!"
"Your Majesty, your Majesty, stop talking... I and the king all know and understand, but I and the king can't make the decision! It's because the emperor's uncle has no ability and can't share the worries..."
The fifth master of the capital shed tears when he said this. The uncle and nephew actually hugged each other and shed urine. It is a normal emotion for ordinary people in the world, but it is so precious among the royal family.
